FROM   THE  LIBRARY  OF 

REV.    LOUIS    FITZGERALD    BENSON,   D.  D. 

/ 

BEQUEATHED   BY  HIM   TO 

THE   LIBRARY  OF 
PRINCETON  THEOLOGICAL  SEMINARY 


^XcV 


^.^*L 


LIFE 


-V 


EDWARD  NORRIS  KIRK,  D.  D. 


°J 


DAVID   O.  MEARS,  A.  M., 

PASTOK  OF   THE   PIEDMONT    CHURCH     WORCESTER,    MASS. 


BOSTON: 
LOCKWOOD,  BROOKS,  AND   COMPANY, 

381  Washington  Street. 

1877. 


Copyright,  1877, 
By  LOCKWOOD,  BROOKS,  &  CO. 


RIVERSIDE,  CAMBRIDGE: 

iTEREOTYPED    AND    PRINTED     BY 

H.  0.  HOUGHTON    AND    COMPANY 


PEEFAOE. 


The  history  of  this  book  dates  back  to  an  October  after- 
noon, 1869.  A  strong  and  intimate  friendship,  formed  in 
the  five  years  of  intercourse  between  the  teacher  and  his  stu- 
dent, had  left  no  observable  barriers  between  us,  and  in  a 
familiar  conversation  Dr.  Kirk  related,  at  that  time,  various 
experiences  through  which  he  had  passed.  When  he  had 
spoken  without  reserve  of  the  part  which  under  Providence 
he  had  been  called  to  take  in  many  stirring  events,  I  made 
mention  of  the  fact  that,  at  his  death,  many  would  call  for 
a  history  of  his  life. 

Whether  he  had  ever  thought  of  the  suggestion  previously 
is  not  known.  The  hour's  conversation  which  followed  re- 
vealed at  once  the  great  modesty  of  the  man,  and  a  thank- 
ful recognition  of  the  part  he  had  been  permitted  to  take  in 
the  history  of  the  American  churches  and  of  his  country. 
He  stated  that  there  was  nothing  among  his  papers  that 
could  form  any  adequate  basis  for  such  a  work ;  but,  said  he, 
"If  by  any  course  I  shall  be  able  to  benefit  my  dear  brethren 
in  the  ministry,  when  I  can  no  longer  counsel  them  by  my 
voice,  I  will  gladly  do  it." 

In  accordance  with  his  request,  and  with  this  purpose  in 
view,  I  set  apart  Monday  morning  of  each  week  to  take 
down  whatever  facts  he  might  dictate.  The  peculiar  sacred- 
ness  of  those  seasons  no  words  can  express.     As  one  event 


iv  PREFACE. 

after  another  came  up  in  review,  he  seemed  to  be  living  his 
life  over  again.  These  dictations,  given  in  disconnected  form, 
were  continued  for  several  months,  bearing  upon  his  personal 
history  or  upon  some  special  phase  of  Christian  work.  Many 
of  these  papers  are  the  results  of  his  life-time  convictions  and 
experience,  such  as  those  upon  "  Theological  Education," 
"  Worship,"  "  Church  Music,"  and  others  of  like  nature. 

In  no  one  of  the  papers  concerning  himself  did  he  ever 
give  any  account  of  public  applause.  Strictly  speaking  they 
are  not  autobiographical,  but  present  the  steps  in  arriving 
at  his  own  convictions  as  to  methods  and  results.  Facts 
touching  his  marvelous  power  over  men,  his  scholarship,  his 
eloquence,  have  been  gained  from  other  sources.  In  addi- 
tion to  the  honored  names  of  those  outside  of  his  imme- 
diate parish  whose  testimonies  are  recorded  in  these  pages, 
—  Bacon,  Gough,  Edward  Beecher,  Tarbox,  Neale,  Strong, 
Tyler,  Hitchcock,  Guyot,  and  others  of  a  like  friendship, — 
special  mention  is  due  to  Deacons  Cushing,  Kimball,  and 
Pinkerton,  of  Mount  Vernon  Church,  for  the  efficient  as- 
sistance they  have  rendered  where  their  names  do  not  ap- 
pear ;  also  to  Messrs.  E.  S.  Tobey,  G.  G.  Hubbard,  and 
Mrs.  William  Claflin.  The  many  others  who  have  com- 
municated incidents  by  letter  or  conversation,  unnamed  from 
necessity,  have  added  to  whatever  value  this  volume  may 
possess.  Assistance  the  most  important  and  continued  has 
been  rendered  by  the  sisters,  faithful  to  their  brother's  mem- 
ory as  they  always  were  to  his  comforts  and  wants.  Special 
thanks  are  due  Mr.  John  A.  McAllister,  of  the  Genealog- 
ical Society  of  Philadelphia,  for  the  somewhat  extended 
correspondence,  so  kindly  undertaken  on  his  part,  concern- 
ing the  family  record ;  also  to  Mr.  John  F.  Hageman,  his- 
torian of  Princeton,  and  to  the  venerable  Dr.  McLean,  ex- 


PKEFACE.  V 

president  of  Nassau  Hall,  upon  the  same  and  other  points. 
I  would  also  tender  my  especial  thanks  to  the  Rev.  Henry 
Darling,  D.  D.,  of  Albany,  for  valuable  facts  bearing  upon 
the  Albany  pastorate,  given  in  an  historical  discourse ;  also 
to  Judge  Cole  and  wife,  the  Hon.  Bradford  R.  Wood,  and 
others,  all  of  Albany. 

The  first  papers  committed  to  my  care  by  Dr.  Kirk  were 
the  letters  denominated  "  Calls  "  to  various  churches,  and 
with  them  papers  entitled  "  State  Campaign,  1864."  Fol- 
lowing these  from  time  to  time  were  scrap-books,  diaries, 
pamphlets,  and  newspapers,  containing  sermons  and  ad- 
dresses. 

From  such  an  abundance  of  material,  and  with  such  gener- 
ous assistance,  this  volume  has  been  planned  and  written. 
How  far  the  author  has  been  right  in  the  selections,  — 
comparatively  few  when  placed  beside  the  great  mass  re- 
jected, —  the  generous  public  will  decide.  The  endeavor 
has  been  made  to  present  the  boy,  the  youth,  the  man,  the 
minister,  the  reformer,  as  he  was ;  and  at  the  same  time  to 
perpetuate  the  substance  of  his  teachings,  since  his  name  is 
indissolubly  connected  with  many  of  our  most  honored  insti- 
tutions and  most  prominent  reforms. 

This  is  not  a  history  of  the  Fourth  Church  in  Albany,  nor 
of  the  Mount  Vernon  Church  in  Boston.  The  sacred  friend- 
ships between  the  hundreds  of  young  men  and  their  pastor  in 
both  cities  can  find  no  extended  narration  in  these  pages. 
The  history  of  even  the  sainted  names  of  Mount  Vernon 
Church  has  not  been  followed  out, — of  Safford,  Crockett, 
Palmer,  Hobart,  and  those  of  the  same  spirit.  Peculiarly 
intimate  friendships  there  were  many  ;  yet  only  as  these 
clearly  and  truthfully  reflected  the  life  of  this  one  man, 
could  a  place  be  given  them. 


vi  PREFACE. 

From  the  writer's  senior  year  in  college,  when  his  ac- 
quaintance with  Dr.  Kirk  began,  throughout  the  three  years 
of  theological  instruction  pursued  under  him,  and  during  a 
most  intimate  acquaintance  seven  years  longer,  no  word  or 
deed  of  Dr.  Kirk's  can  be  recalled  which,  judged  by  its 
apparent  motive  or  its  results,  could  be  wished  unsaid  or 
undone.  Not  that  he  was  perfect ;  yet  there  actually  are 
approaches  toward  perfect  living,  and,  among  all  whose 
memories  are  sweet,  few,  if  any,  could  surpass  in  strength 
and  beauty  the  example  which  he  set,  —  an  impulsive,  act- 
ive, gifted  man,  whose  crowning  excellence,  like  that  of 
Bushnell  and  of  Payson,  was  his  humility,  and  whose  chief 
enjoyment  was  in  prayer.  The  reader  will  make  his  own 
decision  as  to  how  the  writer  has  succeeded  in  repressing 
any  expressions  of  personal  affection,  while  seeking,  as  a 
fair  biographer,  to  hold  an  even  balance  in  passing  judg- 
ment upon  this  honored  friend  of  Christ  and  the  church. 

In  proportion  to  Dr.  Kirk's  success  as  a  minister,  this 
volume  must  become  a  treatise  more  or  less  valuable  in  the 
great  discussions  upon  Pastoral  Theology.  So  far  as  he  ex- 
celled as  a  preacher,  his  life  must  be  regarded  in  its  bearings 
upon  the  science  of  Homiletics.  According  to  the  demon- 
stration of  the  purity  of  his  Christian  life,  so  shall  it  the 
more  readily  be  discerned  wherein  lay  his  greatest  strength. 

The  daily  duties  incident  to  a  city  parish,  the  varied  calls 
to  outside  efforts,  which  could  not  be  slighted,  but,  above  all, 
the  time  needed  to  obtain  facts  by  correspondence  bearing 
upon  every  phase  of  Dr.  Kirk's  labors,  have  delayed  the 
appearance  of  this  volume  a  few  months  beyond  the  time 
at  first  contemplated  ;  yet  it  has  been  the  conviction,  that 
many  years  must  elapse  before  his  name  will  have  lost  its 
power  (if  indeed  that  time  shall  ever  come) ;  and  that  the 


PREFACE.  vii 

more  complete  the  biography,  the  more  valuable  will  it  be 
in  revealing  to  Christian  hearts  the  power  there  is  in  a  godly 
life. 

This,  like  every  other  biography,  must  be  regarded  some- 
what as  an  index,  simply,  to  the  incessant  labors  of  a  long 
and  useful  life,  in  the  narration  of  whose  deeds  and  words 
hundreds  of  volumes  might  be  written.  Yet,  having  en- 
deavored to  make  each  page  a  mirror  of  Dr.  Kirk's  special 
work  or  character,  and  all  the  pages  an  instructive  and  truth- 
ful portrait  of  the  man  himself,  I  give  the  volume  to  the 
public  in  the  hope  of  perpetuating  the  memory  and  example 
of  one  whom  to  know  the  best  was  to  love  the  most. 

DAVID  O.  MEARS. 

Worcester,  Mass.,  October  18,  1877. 


CONTENTS. 


2-6 


CHAPTER  I. 

BIRTH  AND    CHILDHOOD. 

1802-1816. 

PAOS 

Introductory.  —  Kirk's  no  Royal  Line 1-2 

His  Father. —  Kelton,  Scotland.  —  Boy  Life.  —  Going  from  Home. — 
Mary  Norris.  —  Marriage.  —  Children.  — Father's  Character.  —  Moth- 
er's Character.  —  Religious  Habits        ....... 

Edward  Norris  Kirk. — Birth. —  Hair-breadth  Escapes.  —  Uncle  and 
Aunt  Voorhees.  —  His  Two  Homes.  —  Somnambulist.  —  Not  a  Saint.  — 
Early  Attendance  upon  the  Sanctuary.  —  Mischief.  —  Young  Preacher. 

—  Learning  Letters.  —  Love  of  Music.  —  Grandfather's  Watch.  —  Ac- 
cidents.—  Horsemanship.  —  The  Sabbath  Breaker     ....      6-^12 

CHAPTER  II. 

#  EDUCATION  AND   CONVERSION. 

1817-1822. 

College  Life.  —  Wasted  Opportunities.  —  Boyish  Habits.— The  "  Trio."— 
Extracts  from  Letters.  —  Testimony  of  President  Maclean.  —  Tendency 
toward  Oratory.  —  Early  Stand  upon  Slavery.— Extract  from  Oration. 

—  Graduation •     13-19 

Enters  Law  Office.  — "Law-Student  Experience."  —  "  New  York  Fo- 
rum." —  Seward-Kirk  Speech.  —  Conversion  of  two  of  the  "  Trio."  — 
Dislike  of  "  Black  Coats  " 19~21 

Conversion.  —  Personal  Narrative.  — John  Foster's  "  Essay."  —  Persua- 
sions of  Friends.— March  25,  1822.— Power  of  Religion         .        •    22-25 

CHAPTER  HI. 

1822-1825. 

Enters  Princeton  Theological  Seminary.  —  Personal  Conflicts.  —  Ex- 
tracts from  Diary.  —  Spiritual  Declension.  —  Tea-party.  — Impressive 
Death-scene.  —  The  "  Round  Table  " 26"31 


X  CONTENTS. 

PAGB 

Personal  Narrative  of  Vacation  Experience. —  Summons  to   Duty. — 

"  Turning-point  in  Life  ".........     31-33 

Third  Year  in  Seminary.  —  Jugtown.  —  Preaching  Service.  —  Missionary 
Address  to  Students.  —  Influence  of  Seminary  Course  of  Study. — 
Serious  Defects.  —  Knowledge  and  Devotion.  —  Post-graduate  Studies. 
—  Discouragements.  —  Sermon  writing.  — Puts  on  the  "Black  Coat."  33-37 

CHAPTER  IV. 

EARLY    WORK    A9    A    PREACHER. 

1826-1828. 

Agent  of  A.  B.  C.  F.  M.  — Jonas  King.  — Modern  Missions,  growth. — 
The  Dark  Moment.  —  Worthless  "Splendid  Sermon."  —  Experience 
in  Flemington,  N.  J.  —  Extemporaneous  Preaching.  —  His  Facility; 
Incident  at  Montgomery  Springs,  Va.  —  Conditions  of  Effective  Un- 
written Sermons. —  Conclusion  of  Labors  as  an  Agent      .         .         .     38-44 

Invitation  to  Second  Presbyterian  Church,  Albany.  —  Dr.  Chester. — 

Prominence  of  the  Church.  —  Character  of 'Kirk's  Preaching     .        .     44—46 

"  Closet    Reflections."  —  Call    to    Boston.  —  Meditations    upon    Psalm 

xxv 46-48 

Skies  growing  Black.  —  Martin  Van  Buren  and  Sermon  upon  the  Judg- 
ment Day.  —  Effects  of  the  Preaching.  —  Requested  to  Vacate  the 
Pulpit.  —  Interview  in  Law  Office.  —  Pulpit  closed  against  him.  — 
Memorable  Thursday. —  Prayer-meeting  of  Women  all  Night. — 
Diary.  —  Reflections  on  Reading  Ezra  and  Nehemiah.  —  The  Past. — 
Prospects.  —  Experience  in  Trouble.  —  Thirty-seventh  Psalm    .         .     49-59 

CHAPTER   V. 

SETTLEMENT    AND    LABORS    IN    ALBANY. 

1829-1837. 

Albany. — Dutchmen  and  Yankees.  —  Dutchman's  "  Vrow  "  and  Yankee 
"  Picket."  —  Dutch  Habits.  —  Weather  Vanes.  —  Hospitality  of  North 
Dutch  Church.  —  Its  History 60-63 

Preliminary  Meetings  of  the  Fourth  Church.  —  Motives  of  its  Mem- 
bers.—  Condition  of  Presbyterian  Churches.  —  Plan  of  Union,  its 
Results.  —  "New  Measures."  —  Ecclesiasticism. —  Testimony  of  Dr. 
Darling.  —  The  Tannery.  —  Sabbath  Services.  —  Sabbath-school  and 
Weekly  Meetings.  —  Stephen  Van  Rensselaer.  —  Character  of  Ser- 
mons.—  Fasting  and  Prayer 63-72 

Diary.  —  Opposition  to  Fourth  Church.  —  Persecution  of  Mr.  Kirk        .     72-75 

Success  of  "New  Measures."  —  Revival  in  Troy.  —  "Excitement  in  Re- 
vivals."—  "  Religious  Melancholy."  —  Review  of  these  Labors  .         .     75-79 

Young  Men's  Lyceum.  —  Temperance.  —  Drinking  Customs.  —  Vote  of 
"  Mend  on  Association."  —  Mr.  Barney  and  his  Liquors.  —  Mr.  Kirk 


CONTENTS.  xi 


writes  the  First  National  Temperance  Address.  —  Temperance  Lecture 

in  Amenia.  —  "  Uncle  John  "  and  his  Company       ....         79-84 

Becomes  Abolitionist.  —  Founds  with  Dr.  Beman  the  Troy  Theological 
Seminary. — Its  Origin.  —  Cooperage.  —  Graduates. — "Lacks  of  The- 
ologians at  the  Present  Day." —  "  Theological  Education  "     .         .         84-90 

Anniversaries  at  the  West.  —  Dr.  Beecher.  —  The  Stage-coach.  —  Debate 
with  Miss  Catharine  Beecher.  —  "  Ship  the  Wheels !  "  —  Extracts  from 
Writings 90-93 

Feminine  Solicitude.  —  Letter  to  his  Mother  and  her  Conversion.  —  Close 
of  Albany  Pastorate.  —  Extracts  from  Farewell  Sermon         .         .     .   94-99 

CHAPTER  VI. 

TRAVELS  IN  GREAT  BRITAIN,  IRELAND,  AND  FRANCE. 

1837-1838. 

Strangers' Mistakes.  —  Birmingham. — London.  —  House  of  Commons. 

—  Agriculture. — Regent's  Park.  —  Windsor  Palace. — Sunday  in 
London.  — Courts  of  Justice.  —  Prejudice  of  Color.  —  The  Tower. — 
Dr.  Johnson's  Lodgings.  —  Society  in  London.  —  Benevolent  Institu- 
tions. —  Greenwich  Fair.  —  Route  to  Dublin.  —  Oxford.  —  Marlbor- 
ough Castle. —  Warwick  Castle. —  Keuilworth.  —  Wales        .         .     100-109 

Dublin.  — Journey  through  Ireland.  —  Giant's  Causeway.  —  Passage  to 
Scotland.  —  Glasgow.  —  Stirling  Castle.  —  Edinburgh.  —  London 
again 109-113 

Route  to  Paris.  —  Paris.  —  Invited  to  preach  in  Chapel  in  the  Rue  St. 

Anne. — Governor  Cass. — Letter  to  Sister 114-116 

CHAPTER  VII. 

TRAVELS    IN    SOUTHERN    EUROPE. 
1838. 

Nismes.  — Down  the  Rhone.  — Avignon.  —  Genoa,  Home  of  Columbus. 

—  Ducal  Palace 117-121 

Rome.  —  Architecture.  —  Museums  and  Galleries.  —  Literature.  —  Mez- 

zofanti.  —  Amusements,  Theatres,  and  Amphitheatres.  —  The  Coli- 
seum by  Moonlight.  —  The  Baths  of  Caracalla,  Diocletian,  and 
Titus. — Palaces.  —  Trajan's  Column.  —  Religion.  .  .  .  121-132 
Route  to  Naples.  —  Naples.  —  Museum.  —  Miracle  of  St.  Januarius.  — 
Herculaneum.  —  Pompeii.  —  Vesuvius.  —  Paestum.  —  Bay  of  Sa- 
lerno. —  Sorrento.  —  Capri.  —  The  Blue  Grotto.  —  Route  to  Florence. 

—  Florence.  —  Palaces,  Study  of  Michael  Angelo.  —  Route  to  Venice. 

—  Venice.  —  Doges'  Palace.  —  St.  Mark's  Place  and  Cathedral. — 
The  Arsenal. — Canova's  Tomb.  —  Lido. — Milan,  its  Cathedral. — 
Route  to  Geneva. —  Chamouni 132-148 


Xll  CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER  VTII. 

REVIVAL    AND    OTHER    LABORS. 

1839-1841. 

PAGE 

Motives  and  Results  of  his  Foreign  Tour.  —  Secretary  of  Foreign  Evan- 
gelical Society.  —  Revival  Labors  in  Philadelphia  and  New  York. — 
Incident.  —  Character  of  these  Revival  Meetings.  —  Reminiscences  of 
the  Meetings  in  New  York  and  New  Haven,  by  Edward  Strong,  D.  D. 

—  Service  in  Hartford  described  by  Increase  N.  Tarbox,  D.  D.     .     149-15  9 
Madame  Feller.  —  Narrative  by  Kev.  Narcisse  Cyr.  —  John  Dougall.  — 

Calls  to  settle  over  Churches  and  Colleges.  —  First  Sermon  in  Bos- 
ton. —  Letters. —  Death  of  his  Father 159-166 

CHAPTER  IX. 

SETTLEMENT    AND    FIRST    TEARS    IN    BOSTON. 

1842-1845. 

Formation  of  Mount  Vemon  Church.  —  "Bile"  in  the  Pulpit.  —  Power 
of  the  True  Pastor.  —  Early  Members  of  the  Church.  —  The  Boston 
Congregational  Churches.  —  Park  Street  Church  and  Dr.  Aiken  .     167-171 

Council.  —  Independency  and  Fellowship. — Motives  in  becoming  a 
Congregationalism — Mount  Vernon  Prayer-meetings. —  Statement  of 
Deacon  J.  W.  Kimball.  —  Silent  Men. —  Deacons  .         .         .     171-177 

Erection  of  Meeting-house. — Its  Title.  —  Influence  of  Church. — 
Written  Sermons.  —  Habits  of  Prayer.  —  Letter  of  Edward  Beecher, 
D.  D 177-181 

Student  of  Nature  and  of  Men.  —  Plan  of  Sermons  .         .         .         .     181-183 

Relations  with  Unitarians.  —  Attacked  through  the  "Christian  Regis- 
ter."—  Editorial  Reply.  —  Death  of  Dr.  Channing.  — "  Bigotry  "  and 
Orthodoxy         183-187 

CHAPTER  X. 

THE    EVANGELICAL    ALLIANCE. 

1846. 

"  Ecumenical  Council  of  the  Protestant  Churches,"  called  to  be  held  in 
London.  —  Dr.  Kirk  and  Deacon  Sufford  Delegates  from  Mount  Ver- 
non Church.  —  Diary  upon  the  Sea  Voyage.  —  Letter  to  his  Mother 
from  London.  —  Letter  to  Sister  from  Edinburgh.  —  Diary.  —  Letter 
to  Mr.  Tobey  from  Paris,  and  to  Mrs.  Keep  upon  his  Visit  to  Geneva. 

—  Mont  Blanc.  —  Professor  Gaussen,  Dr.  Merle  D'Aubigne',  M.  Barg- 
nani.  —  Letter  to  his  Mother 188-200 

August  19,  the  Great  Council.  — Noted  Names.  —  Opinion  of  the  "  Bos- 
ton Tablet"  upon  the  Object  and  upon  Dr.  Kirk.  —  Interview  with 


CONTENTS.  xiii 

PAGE 

Dr.  Bickersteth,  Senior,  Dr.  Tholuck,  and  Professor  Adolphe  Monod. 

—  Public  Opinion.  —  Condemnation  of  Francesco  and  Ilosa  Madiai  in 

1852  200-205 

CHAPTER  XI. 

MINISTERIAL    LABORS    IN    BOSTON. 

1847-1856. 

Large  Congregations.  —  Death  of  his  Mother.  —  Sermon  on  the  Execu- 
tion of  Professor  Webster  for  the  Murder  of  Dr.  Parkman.  —  For- 
mation of  the  Mount  Vernon  Association  of  Young  Men.  —  Address 
upon  its  Usefulness. — Important  Communication  from  Philadelphia. 

—  Reply.  —  "  Sleepy  Hearers ;  "  Conversion  of  Dwight  L.  Moody.  — 

His  Pastor's  Narration  of  the  Case 206-227 

CHAPTER  XII. 

WORK    IN    PARIS   AND    TOUR    IN    PALESTINE. 
1857. 

Call  to  build  the  American  Chapel  in  Paris.  —  Previous  Residence.  — 
Personal  Narrative.  —  Dr.  Thomas  Evans  and  Lord  Cowley.  —  Sub- 
scription Paper.  —  Opposition  from  the  United  States.  —  Selection  of 
the  "Site."  —  "Pin-money."  —  Ownership  of  the  Chapel.  —  Little 
Tract  Distributor  and  Workmen  on  Sunday.  —  Ritual    .         .         .     228-236 

Tour  in  Palestine  with  Rolliu  H.  Neale,  D.  D.  —  Objections  removed. — 
Sir  Colin  Campbell.  —  "Boosting"  his  Companion.  —  Joppa.  —  Man- 
ner of  Journey. — First  Sabbath  in  Jerusalem,  Garden  of  Gethsem- 
ane. —  Catholic  Priests. — Mother  and  her  Child.  —  Bethlehem. — 
Debate  in  the  Jordan.  —  Hungarian's  "  Change  of  Heart."  —  Taber- 
nacle removed.  —  Sunday  in  Nazareth.  —  Tomb  of  Lazarus.  — Return 
to  Paris 236-244 

Extract  from  Dedication  Sermon.  —  Last  Letter  to  the  Pastor  of  the 

Chapel.  —  Return  Home 244-245 

CHAPTER  XIII. 

ANTI  SLA  VERT. 

Until  1861. 

President  Lincoln's  Dependence  upon  the  Churches.  —  Silence  enjoined 
upon  Pastors  concerning  Slavery. —  Sensitive  Congregations. —  Repeal 
of  the  Missouri  Compromise  in  1854. — Attitude  of  Dr.  Kirk.  —  Ad- 
dress, "The  Clergy  and  the  Slave  Power."  —  Extracts  from  Sermon 
after  the  Assault  upon  Charles  Sumner  in  the  United  States  Senate, 
May  22,  1856 246-253 

Mother's  Influence  on  this  Subject.  —  Influence  of  George  Thompson 


xiv  CONTENTS. 

PAGE 

upon  him.  —  European  Experience.  —  Autobiographical  Sketch.  — 
Prophecy  made  in  Old  South  Church.  —  Radicalism       .         .         .     253-257 

Journey  South  with  Hon.  G.  G.  Hubbard  and  Professor  Guyot.  —  Slang 
Phrases.  —  Letter  from  Burnsville,  N.  C.  —  Campaign  of  1860. — 
Letters  from  Black  Mountains  and  Asheville,  N.  C,  etc.  —  Professor 
Guyot.  —  Night  Experience  on  the  Mountains.  —  Kirk  at  Tallulah 
Falls.  —  Preaching  Service.  —  Letter  from  Mount  Jonah.  —  Lost  in 
the  Forest.  —  Sunday  at  Tallulah  with  Mr.  Rembert.  —  Colonel 
Haynes.  —  Ex-president  Tyler 257-269 

Election  of  Mr.  Lincoln. — "Uncle  Tom"  and  Dr.  Kirk.  —  Autobio- 
graphic Review  of  his  Antislavery  Course 269-272 

Letter  to  Mr.  Tobey.  —  Voyage  to  Norfolk.  —  Fire  opened  upon  Sum- 
ter. —  In  Richmond .  —  Conversation  with  Mr.  Tyler.  —  Present  in 
the  Virginia  Convention  which  pronounced  for  Secession.  —  Governor 
Wise.  — Letter  from  Richmond.  —  Journey  Home.  — Warned  to  leave 
Washington.  —  The  Baltimore  Mob.  —  Patriotism  in  Philadelphia.  — 
Letters.  —  Home  again 272-279 

CHAPTER  XIV. 

THE    CIVIL   WAR. 

1861-1865. 

The  War  for  the  Union  restored  to  the  Clergy  a  Function  they  had  lost. 

—  Clergy  in  the  Revolution.  —  Slavery  in  the  Constitution.  —  The 
Army.  —  Thanksgiving  Sermon,  1861.  —  Twelve  Months'  Fighting. 

—  God's  Avenging  Hosts.  —  God  in  the  Battle       ....     280-296 
Visit  to  Army  of  the  Potomac. —  The  Monitor.  —  McClellan  at  Cheese- 
man's  Landing.  —  Manhood  of  the  Negro.  —  Speech  in  the  Qld  South 
Church.  —  Address  to  Soldiers 296-300 

The  Christian  Commission  formed.  —  Delegation  of  Eight  to  the  Army. 

—  General  Meade's  Head-quarters.  —  Letter  Home.  —  Sunday  Ser- 
vices. —  Impressive  Visit  to  Hon.  John  Minor  Botts.  —  Church  at 
Culpepper  Court  House.  —  Prayer  on  Pony  Mountain.  —  Preaching  in 

the  Saddle.  —  Camp  Convalescent.  —  "  Massachusetts  "  .         .     301-305 

1864.  —  Presidential  Election.  —  Dr.  Kirk  takes  the  "Stump." — Ex- 
tracts of  "Stump  Speeches."  —  War  not  necessarily  Unchristian. — 
The  Chicago  Platform.  —  "  What  is  a  Democrat  ?  "  —  McClellan  and 

Lincoln. — Election  of  Mr.  Lincoln 305-310 

The  War  finished.  —  Thursday,  April  13,  Day  of  National  Fasting. — 
Extract  from  Sermon.  —  Assassination  of  President  Lincoln. — Dr. 
Kirk  on 'Change  and  in  Tremont  Temple.  —  Reconstruction         .     311-315 


CONTENTS.  XV 

CHAPTER  XV. 

THAITS    AND    SOURCES    OF    POWER   AS    A   MINISTER. 

FAQS 

Analysis  of  his  Power.  —  Days  of  Easting  and  Prayer.  —  Power  of 
Prayer.  —  Natural  Gifts.  —  The  Covenant.  —  Importance  of  a  Knowl- 
edge of  the  Hebrew  and  Greek  Scriptures.  —  The  Christian  College. 
—  Importance  of  a  Good  Elocution.  —  "Pen  Portrait." — Prepara- 
tion of  his  Sermons. —  Testimony  of  Deacon  Kimball    .         .         .     316-326 

Worship.  —  Responsibility  of  conducting  Public  Worship.  —  Mode  of 
conducting  Public  Worship.  —  Preparation  for  conducting  Public 
Worship.  —  Value  of  Personal  Character  to  the  Preacher      .         .     327-331 

Last  Sermon  in  Mr.  Webster's  hearing.  —  Sketch  by  Leonard  Bacon, 

D.  D 331-336 

Mount  Holyoke  Seminary.  —  Revival.  —  Elected  Trustee.  —  Address  on 
the  Character  of  Miss  Lyon. —  Revival  of  1863-1864.—  High  Ideal  of 
Scholarship.  —  Letter  from  Paris.  —  Testimonials. — Letters  to  Miss 
Chapin  and  Miss  Ward.  —  Last  Visit.  —  His  Life  "  all  one  Great 
Prayer" 336-354 

CHAPTER  XVI. 

PERSONAL    CHARACTERISTICS. 

Faithfulness  in  Little  Things. —  Sisters.  —  Sympathetic. —  The  Aban- 
doned Woman.  —  Drunkard.  —  Reminiscences. — Degree  of  D.  D.  — 
Catholic  Priest 355-360 

Dr.  Kirk  on  a  Journey.  —  Reminiscences  of  Rev.  F.  R.  Abbe.  —  Coun- 
selor.—  Humility.  —  Influence  upon  the  Ministry. — Letter  to  Mrs. 
Gough. — "  Hillside  "  Memories 360-370 

Gifts  in  Charity.  —  Habits  of   Giving.  —  Amount   of  Benefactions.  — 

Impostor 370-373 

Levite  and  Oysters.  — Economy  in  Labor.  —  Music  in  the  Sanctuary.  — 

Letter  upon  Church  Music 373-377 

American  Missionary  Association. — Chosen  its  President. — Manhood 
of  the  Negro.  —  White  Man  on  Probation.  —  African  Element  of 
National  Character.  —  Abolitionism  and  Christianity      .         .         .     378-384 

Mental  and  Spiritual  Habits.  —  Psychological  Taste.  —  Studies  in  Latin, 

Greek,  and  Hebrew.  —  Letter  of  Professor  Guyot   ....     384-390 

CHAPTER  XVII. 

LATER   TEARS   AND    DEATH. 
1861-1874. 

Renewing  Youth.  —  Love  for  Children.  —  Extracts  from  Letters.  — 
Beginning  of  the  End.  —  "  Resting."  —  "  Ministerial  Dead  Line."  — 
Criticism  upon  his  own  Preaching.  — At  Princeton.  — Letter  .     391-402 

Illness.  —  Sympathy  of  his  People.  —  Twenty-fifth  Anniversary  of  Mount 
Vernon  Church. — Letter  from  Deacon  Palmer       ....     402-405 


xvi  CONTENTS. 

PACK 

Lectures  on  Revivals  at  Andover.  —  Elected  Chaplain  of  the  Senate.  — 

Testimony  of  Rev.  Edmund'  Dowse.  —  Governor  Claflin  .         .     405-408 

Letter  resigning  his  Pastorate.  —  Action  of  the  Church.  —  The  Asso- 
ciate Pastor.  —  Benedictions.  —  Failure  of  Sight,  and  Blindness. — 
Cheerfulness.  —  Sight  restored.  —  Repulsiveness  of  Mere  Dogmatism. 
—  Christian  living  in  Joy  and  Sorrow      .         .         .         .         .         .     408-413 

Ripe  for  Heaven.  —  Thoughts  on  Death.  — Last  Letter  to  Mount  Ver- 
non Society ;  Advice.  —  Address  before  the  Ministers'  Meeting,  his 
Last 414-419 

Sudden  Summons.  —  Death.  —  Funeral.  —  City  of  the  Dead  and  City 
of  the  Living.  —  The  Last  Gift  of  Earth.  —  Death  conquered.         .     419-423 

Appendix 425-432 


LIFE   OF  EDWARD  NORMS  KIRK. 


CHAPTER  I. 

BLRTH  AND   CHILDHOOD. 
1802-1816. 

In  the  month  of  April,  1864,  when  everything  betokened 
the  advance  of  the  Union  army  upon  Richmond,  two  promi- 
nent men  met  in  the  camp  on  the  northern  side  of  the 
Rapidan  River.  The  one  wore  the  dress  of  a  major-gen- 
eral; the  other,  that  of  a  clergyman.  The  word  of  the  for- 
mer, the  hero  of  Gettysburg,  was  the  law  to  tens  of  thou- 
sands ;  even  his  wagon  train  was  thirty  miles  in  length. 
The  other,  in  the  plain  suit,  had  no  military  authority 
delegated  to  him,  and  he  sought  none.  Yet  tens  of  thou- 
sands, whose  readiest  obedience  was  given  to  the  com- 
mand of  their  loved  and  honored  general,  listened  likewise, 
day  after  day,  to  the  thrilling  words  and  devout  prayers  of 
this  other,  as  he  labored  in  the  Christian  Commission.  The 
two  men  had  done  their  share  in  the  making  of  history — 
each  in  his  own  sphere.  Their  enthusiasm  was  not  based 
upon  the  ambitions  of  youth ;  they  were  elderly  men  ;  each 
was  resolute  in  his  path  of  duty. 

It  was  among  such  surroundings,  and  with  such  purposes, 
that  General  Meade  and  Doctor  Kirk  were  met  in  conver- 
sation. "  If  I  mistake  not,"  said  the  doctor,  "  you  and  I 
are  very  intimately  related  upon  my  mother's  side."  "  I 
believe  so,"  replied  the  general,  "  but  really  I  have  very 
l 


2  LIFE   OF  EDWAED  NORMS   KIRK. 

little  time  to  think  of  such  things."  This  was  doubtless 
the  family  characteristic.  These  were  not  the  men  to  search 
in  the  family  records  to  sift  out  the  humbler  names  and 
cling  to  the  greater.  He  is  weak  whose  assumed  greatness 
is  measured  chiefly  by  what  his  grandfather  or  more  re- 
mote ancestor  has  done.  Descendants  of  the  great  English 
and  Irish  barons  sweep  our  streets. 

Edward  Norris  Kirk,  the  subject  of  this  memoir,  lived 
in  the  performance  of  his  own  present  duties,  and  not  upon 
the  achievements  of  his  family.  His  was  no  royal  line  in 
the  kingdom  ;  and  the  records  left  us  are  silent  as  to  any 
men  of  distinction  to  whom  he  might  have  appealed,  had  he 
taken  the  pains  to  search  them  out.  Had  there  been  a 
"coat  of  arms"  bearing  the  name  "Kirk,"  it  would  prob- 
ably have  been  laid  away  in  some  drawer  of  trinkets,  or  its 
place  forgotten.  The  man  who  never  made  himself  the  sub- 
ject of  conversation,  save  to  his  most  intimate  friends,  and 
then  only  with  the  greatest  modesty,  was  not  the  one  to 
transmit  names  that  reach  back  to  far-off  generations. 

Our  definite  record  of  the  family  begins  with  the  father, 
George  Kirk.  After  somewhat  extended  inquiries,  we  can 
go  but  one  step  farther  back,  and  that  step  gives  only  the 
vaguest  information.  The  "  wide  sea  "  often  makes  a  gap 
in  the  family  history  that  begins  on  the  other  side.  We 
usually  begin  the  count  of  our  ancestors  with  those  who 
have  crossed  the  Atlantic.  Its  waters  have  christened  the 
American  nobility. 

The  father  of  George  was  a  farmer  in  the  parish  of  Kel- 
ton,  Stewartry  of  Galloway,  Scotland.  Kelton  is  a  parish  in 
the  lower  portion  of  the  southern  division  of  Kirkcudbright- 
shire. Kelton  Hill  is  within  two  miles  of  the  famous  Castle 
Douglas,  and  seven  miles  from  the  village  of  Kirkcudbright. 
The  road  from  Dumfries  to  Port  Patrick,  which  formerly 
passed  through  the  town,  now  runs  in  another  direction,  and 
the  place  thus  deserted  by  travel  has  become  very  dull. 
Even  in  the  old  days,  its  chief  source  of  activity  was  found 
in  the  taverns,  and  now  these  have  become  almost  silent. 


BIETH  AND  CHILDHOOD.  3 

The  inhabitants  were  accustomed  to  severe  toil.  The  hills 
of  granite  and  the  mossy  ground  scantily  supported  the  peo- 
ple, whose  main  reliance  was  upon  the  raising  of  cattle  and 
sheep.  Robert  Chambers  tells  us  that,  up  to  the  end  of  the 
last  century,  "  the  condition  of  the  rural  inhabitants  and  the 
state  of  agriculture  in  this  county  was  very  primitive ;  the 
principal  food  of  the  people  in  the  early  part  of  the  century 
was  kail  (a  species  of  cabbage),  and  oats  ground  in  querns 
turned  by  the  hand,  and  dried  in  a  pot."  This  description 
of  the  famous  annalist  covers  the  customs  of  the  people  dur- 
ing the  infancy  and  youth  of  George  Kirk,  who,  weary  of 
its  poor  inducements,  left  his  home  for  America. 

George  Kirk  was  born  January  26,  1760.  In  his  monot- 
onous life  on  the  farm  there  were  few  incidents  to  which  he 
afterwards  referred.  He  fed  the  flocks  of  sheep  and  cattle 
upon  the  hills  of  Kelton,  and  along  the  banks  of  the  river 
whose  waters,  about  ten  miles  away,  entered  the  Irish  Sea. 
The  sturdy  farmers  allowed  no  mischief  to  befall  their  sons 
on  account  of  idleness.  The  ruddy  shepherd-boy  of  Judea 
employed  his  leisure  hours  in  making  music  upon  his  flute  ; 
the  shepherd-boys  of  Kelton  became  skilled  in  the  art  of 
knitting  stockings,  and  George  Kirk  followed  the  custom  of 
his  fellows.  When  the  cattle  browsed  among  the  mosses, 
and  no  unruly  sheep  gave  signs  of  wandering  away,  this 
honest  lad  did  his  part  in  supplying  the  household  with 
hosiery,  while  his  mother  spun  and  wove  the  Scottish  plaids 
at  home. 

At  the  age  of  eighteen,  the  son  tended  the  flock  for  the 
last  time  ;  he  bade  a  sorrowful  adieu  to  the  home  of  his  boy- 
hood, and,  with  a  laudable  ambition,  sailed  for  the  New 
World.  Two  sisters  shortly  followed  him  to  this  country, 
who  afterwards  settled  in  western  New  York.  George  be- 
came a  clerk  in  a  grocery  store  kept  by  one  Bruce.  He 
married,  in  1792,  Miss  Ann  Wright,  of  New  York,  by  whom 
he  had  one  child.  Upon  the  death  of  his  wife  and  child, 
he  removed  from  New  York  to  Princeton,  N.  J.,  where  he 
became  clerk  in  a  dry  goods  and  grocery  store.     In  Prince- 


4  LIFE   OF  EDWAKD  NORMS   KIRK. 

ton,  February  15,  1797,  he  married  for  his  second  wife  Miss 
Mary  Norris,  of  that  town. 

Mrs.  Mary  Norris  Kirk  was  the  daughter  of  Thomas  and 
Mary  (Wade)  Norris,  who  lived  in  Princeton  prior  to  1790. 
Mr.  Norris  died  in  1790.  The  records  of  the  town  give  us  no 
further  definite  information  concerning  the  family.  Mr.  John 
F.  Hageman,  historian  of  the  town,  to  whom  we  are  indebted 
for  even  the  scant  information  which  it  is  possible  to  obtain, 
says :  "  There  was  a  William  Norris  living  in  Princeton  from 
1774  to  1781,  perhaps  a  brother,  perhaps  a  father,  of  Thomas, 
but  I  cannot  ascertain  here.  He  kept  house  and  had  a  fam- 
ily." The  Norris  family  of  Princeton  are  not  intimately  re- 
lated to  the  family  of  the  same  name  in  Pennsylvania,  which 
is  more  widely  known.  Mary  Norris  was  born  in  Princeton, 
January  11,  1774. 

Mr.  Kirk  remained  in  Princeton  but  a  few  months  after 
his  marriage,  when  he  returned  to  New  York  and  opened 
for  himself  a  store,  which  he  kept  until,  in  his  old  age,  he 
removed  to  Albany.  To  these  parents  were  born  four  chil- 
dren :  Mary  Ann,  Isabella  Jane,  Edward  Norris,  and  Harriet 
Norris. 

Mr.  George  Kirk  was  of  medium  height,  strongly  built,  and 
of  a  firm  constitution.  He  was  known  as  a  man  of  the  strict- 
est integrity.  He  had  no  ambition  to  be  rich.  Wealthy  men 
who  started  in  life  with  him  offered  him  capital  for  a  larger 
business ;  but  fearing  failure,  and  lest  he  should  thus  cause 
them  any  risk,  he  rejected  their  kind  offers.  The  poor  and 
the  needy  always  found  in  him  a  helper.  In  addition  to 
his  every-day  duties,  he  gave  much  of  his  time  to  the  settling 
of  estates  ;  but  in  no  instance  would  he  ever  accept  any 
compensation.  When  urged  by  those  whom  he  had  thus 
befriended,  his  invariable  answer  was,  in  substance,  "  I  can 
never  do  too  much  to  aid  the  widow  and  the  fatherless." 

It  was  his  great  delight  to  attend  the  meetings  of  prayer 
upon  the  Sabbath  and  during  the  week.  He  was  an  elder  in 
what  was  called  the  Magazine  Street  Presbyterian  Church, 
New  York,  under  the  pastoral  care  of  the  distinguished  Rev. 


BIRTH  AND   CHILDHOOD.  5 

Dr.  John  M.  Mason.  Nothing  but  sickness  or  absence  from 
the  city  was  an  excuse  for  the  absence  of  any  of  the  family 
from  church.  He  was  a  generous  man,  judged  by  the  times 
and  his  own  means.  He  was,  like  all  his  countrymen,  a 
man  of  very  strong  convictions  ;  and  sometimes  these  con- 
victions were  very  stoutly  persisted  in.  He  lived  at  the 
time  of  the  discussion  concerning  the  change  of  the  old 
Scotch  "  Version  of  the  Psalms  "  to  the  more  modern  met- 
rical version  of  "  Psalms  and  Hymns."  The  majority  in 
his  own  church  were  imbued  with  the  more  modern  idea, 
but  not  so  Elder  Kirk.  The  new  books  came  in,  but  some 
of  the  old  books  did  not  go  out :  Elder  Kirk  kept  Sis.  The 
numbers  of  the  hymns  in  the  New  Version  were  read  from 
the  lofty  pulpit ;  but  when  the  congregation  had  risen  to 
sing,  Mr.  Kirk  had  found  his  hymn  in  his  good  old  book. 
True,  the  metres  differed  somewhat,  and  sad  havoc  had  been 
made  with  the  old  rhythms,  but  while  the  majority  sang  ac- 
cording to  their  convictions,  this  one,  at  least,  of  the  minor- 
ity sang  according  to  his.  But  strong  convictions  do  not  al- 
ways cause  a  break  in  the  great  harmony  of  song  any  more 
than  they  do  in  life.  The  elder's  voice  was  not  as  strong 
as  his  will ;  it  was  more  like  a  pleasant  murmur,  which 
few  heeded.  It  is  noticeable,  that,  after  his  removal  to  Al- 
bany, his  old  scruples  gave  way,  and  he  became  a  hearty  lover 
of  Nettleton's  and  other  hymns.  He  died  in  Albany,  August 
26,  1840. 

Mrs.  Mary  Norris  Kirk  was  a  woman  of  great  energy  of 
character,  and,  like  her  husband,  was  of  very  decided  opin- 
ions. Her  ancestors  were  from  Wales  and  the  north  of  Ire- 
land. She  was  tall  and  prepossessing  in  appearance,  her- 
self the  example  of  what  she  taught  her  children  —  that 
they  should  walk  erect.  She  was  a  woman  of  strong  intui- 
tive perceptions,  and  adhered  to  what  she  claimed  was  right, 
whatever  others  might  think  or  say.  While  the  father  was 
eminently  theoretical,  she  was  as  truly  practical.  She  was 
Martha  with  Mary's  name.  She  was  a  kind-hearted  woman, 
always  caring  for  the  poor  and  the  sick.     She  impressed 


6  LIFE   OF  EDWARD  NORMS   KIRK. 

upon  her  children  great  respect  for  the  colored  people ;  per- 
haps it  may  have  been  the  respect  born  of  policy,  since  she 
was  afraid  of  them,  as  many  others  have  been  afraid  of 
Indians.  One  of  her  special  objects  of  charity  was  old  col- 
ored "Aunt  Martha,"  at  the  alms-house;  to  whom,  week 
after  week,  or  as  often  as  occasion  required,  she  carried  tea 
and  tobacco.  Although  not  a  professed  Christian  until  later 
in  life,  she  cooperated  with  her  husband  in  the  religious 
training  of  the  children. 

Morning  and  evening  the  family  were  gathered  together 
while  the  father  read  from  the  well-worn  Bible  and  then  led 
them  in  "prayer.  The  seeds  of  truth  were  then  being  sown 
which  in  later  days  would  take  deep  root.  As  did  the  father 
in  the  old  home  in  Scotland,  so  every  Sunday  night  Elder 
Kirk  made  the  family  the  objects  of  his  especial  care  as  he 
taught  them  the  principles  of  the  Westminster  Catechism. 
Punishment  was  seldom  given,  but,  when  inflicted,  was  long 
remembered.     It  was  a  home  of  a  strong  religious  character. 

Edward  Norris  Kirk  was  born  in  New  York  on  the  14th 
of  August,  1802.  It  remains  for  these  pages  to  exhibit  at 
the  same  time  the  value  of  the  instructions  received  and 
the  filial  inheritance  as  regards  character.  If  parental  and 
national  traits  inhere  in  the  child,  we  may  look  in  this 
American  boy  for  the  intellectual  acumen  of  the  Scotch,  the 
generosity  and  impulsiveness  of  the  Welsh,  the  brilliancy 
and  steadfastness  of  the  Scotch-Irish. 

"  My  life,  until  I  reached  my  tenth  year,  was  marked  by 
nothing  peculiar,  except  a  great  many  hair-breadth  escapes 
from  danger."  Thus  he  wrote  in  1880.  "  At  that  age  I  was 
taken  to  Princeton,  N.  J.,  to  reside  with  an  uncle  and  aunt, 
of  whom  should  I  pretend  to  say  anything  particular,  it 
would  be  with  feelings  of  gratitude." 

This  uncle,  Robert  Voorhees,  and  Aunt  Sarah,  a  sister 
of  Mrs.  Kirk,  wished  to  adopt  the  boy,  but,  failing  in  this, 
made  him  at  home  in  their  mansion.  The  uncle  was  a 
thrifty  merchant,  commanding  the  respect  of  all  his  neigh- 
bors by  his  uniform  kindness  and  benevolence.     The  aunt, 


BIRTH  AND   CHILDHOOD.  7 

although  trying  to  carry  out  the  mother's  wishes,  leaned 
somewhat  more  to  the  side  of  indulgence. 

Alternately  in  these  two  homes  the  childhood  and  youth 
of  Edward  were  spent,  and  it  may  truthfully  be  recorded  that 
the  educational  theories  of  both  the  mother  and  the  aunt 
were  often  very  seriously  tested  by  the  boy.  Petted  by  the 
affectionate  uncle  and  aunt  as  if  their  own  child ;  petted  at 
home  as  the  only  son,  and  idolized  by  sisters  who  often 
shielded  him  from  merited  punishment,  he  passed  year  after 
year,  now  in  New  York,  and  now  in  Princeton,  in  the  great 
formative  period  of  his  life. 

Severely  were  the  anxious  mother  and  loving  aunt  taxed 
night  and  day  in  their  care.  The  boy  was  a  great  somnam- 
bulist. He  would  rise  at  night,  unbolt  the  doors,  go  to  the 
well,  and  draw  water.  In  his  parents'  house,  he  was  in  the 
habit  of  trying  to  raise  the  attic  windows  in  order  to  walk 
the  roof,  but  providentially  was  always  discovered  in  time  to 
prevent  the  act.  A  lady  visiting  at  the  house  of  his  aunt 
was  delighted  that  her  little  boy  should  have  such  a  play- 
mate and  companion  as  Edward.  But  at  night,  sudden 
screams  from  the  boys'  chamber  having  awaked  the  fam- 
ily, a  tragic  situation  was  revealed  :  the  little  visitor  was 
screaming  under  blows  inflicted  upon  him  by  his  somnam- 
bulistic host.  This  infirmity  followed  him  until  near  man- 
hood. While  a  student  he  leaped  from  the  window  of  his 
room  to  the  ground,  and  was  found  by  a  policeman,  who 
with  difficulty  aroused  him  from  the  strange  sleep.  But  in 
all  his  rambles  he  never  met  with  an  accident.  The  Lord 
was  his  keeper,  sparing  him  for  a  priceless  work. 

In  his  waking  hours,  this  merry  boy  could  never  have 
been  called  a  saint.  He  was  always  cheerful,  even  under 
punishment ;  always  bounding  with  life ;  sometimes  heed- 
less, and  sometimes  willful.  He  was  a  happy,  romping, 
mischievous  boy.  His  uncle  Voorhees  used  to  say,  "  Ed- 
ward will  occupy  no  middle  ground  ;  he  will  be  either  a 
very  bad  man  or  a  very  good  man."  The  logic  was  perfect. 
This  would  be  a  history  both  untrue  and  unnatural,  were 


8  LITE   OF  EDWARD  NORMS   KIRK 

we  to  look  back  upon  the  times  of  his  youth  and  attempt, 
by  toning  down  their  buoyant  wildness,  to  make  the  child- 
life  more  like  the  mature  life.  We  should  not  thus  be  true 
to  the  great  work  of  divine  grace  afterwards  manifested  in 
his  manhood.  No;  the  boy  Edward  Norris  Kirk  was  not 
always  circumspect. 

His  early  appearance  in  the  sanctuary  gave  no  promise  of 
what  he  would  in  later  years  become.  Anxious  parents, 
reading  these  pages,  may  find  a  sympathetic  comfort  in  the 
trials  brought  upon  the  family  by  the  restless  boy  in  the 
old  high-backed,  square  pew.  They  who  have  learned  the 
rhetorical  pause  of  mischief  —  first  a  silence  and  then  the 
open  expression  —  can  understand  how,  in  that  elder's  pew, 
no  movement  of  the  boy  withdrew  the  mother's  rapt  atten- 
tion from  the  preacher's  exposition.  With  a  deftness  which 
mischief  alone  can  accomplish,  a  pin  was  protruded  from 
the  boot-heel  of  the  young  Edward,  ready  for  his  purpose. 
Slowly  he  moved  in  the  same  quiet  way  towards  his  little 
boy-neighbor  ;  pleasantly  he  looked  into  the  little  pensive 
face  ;  and  unerringly  he  pierced  the  flesh  of  the  sensitive 
limb  with  the  well-set  pin.  The  scream  of  the  little  neigh- 
bor made  more  intense  the  previous  silence,  until  it  became 
somewhat  of  a  doubt  whose  voice,  that  of  the  preacher  or 
that  of  the  sufferer,  was  the  most  distinct  in  its  utterance. 

His  early  attendance  upon  the  sanctuary  was  limited  to 
the  morning,  his  mother  feeling  inadequate  to  the  manage- 
ment of  such  a  child  during  more  than  one  service.  He  was 
accordingly  left  at  home  in  charge  of  the  sister  nearest  him 
in  age.  Under  the  impression  of  the  importance  of  such 
occasions,  the  two  conducted  services  together ;  Edward  tak- 
ing a  text  and  preaching  extempore,  usually  very  much 
elated  with  his  own  performances.  His  sister,  sharing  his 
enthusiasm,  felt  that  she  might  be  allowed  to  preach  occa- 
sionally; but  a  veto  was  put  upon  such  an  un clerical  act, 
and  she  was  permitted  to  lead  the  music,  and  to  read  the 
prayer  of  the  Maccabees  in  the  Apocrypha. 

His  letters  were  not  learned  in  the  ordinary  way  at  school. 


BIRTH  AND  CHILDHOOD.  9 

He  could  find  no  interest  in  looking  upon  the  book,  but 
must  see  every  movement  in  the  school-room.  A  happy- 
thought  at  length  occurred  to  the  teacher.  While  she  en- 
deavored to  engage  his  attention  upon  the  alphabet,  he  was 
calling  her  attention  to  his  efforts  in  catching  flies.  She 
closed  the  book  with  the  determination  to  give  him  a  spell- 
ing-lesson even  without  his  knowing  a  letter.  This  plan 
succeeded  admirably.  His  ambition  was  fixed,  and  he 
learned  his  letters  in  a  few  days. 

The  passion  for  music,  so  marked  throughout  his  life,  was 
early  manifested.  He  begged  his  father  for  a  flute,  but 
owing  to  his  extreme  youth  the  request  was  at  first  denied. 
However,  the  boy  purchased  a  reed,  took  it  to  a  blacksmith's, 
and  had  some  holes  pierced  in  it,  thus  making  a  fife,  upon 
which  he  learned  to  play  more  or  less  correctly.  His  father 
then  bought  the  flute,  of  whose  music  he  was  never  after 
wearied.  Shortly  after  this,  he  purchased  a  flageolet,  and 
with  the  assistance  of  a  book  taught  himself  and  his  sisters 
to  play  on  that  instrument. 

His  eagerness  to  inquire  into  the  reasons  of  things  led 
him  into  many  a  so-called  mischievous  course.  No  shelf  was 
too  high  for  him,  no  valued  keepsake  too  precious.  At  one 
time  he  obtained  an  old-fashioned  watch,  which  had  belonged 
to  his  grandfather,  and  which  his  mother  thought  was  safe 
from  his  nimble  fingers ;  but  having  managed  to  find  it,  he 
picked  it  to  pieces  with  a  darning-needle,  in  order  (as  he 
said)  to  learn  how  to  put  it  together  again. 

It  was  his  characteristic  never  to  know  the  meaning  of 
danger.  With  good  reason  did  he  often  refer  to  the  hair- 
breadth escapes  he  had  made  in  his  youth.  While  flying  his 
kite  one  day  from  the  lower  part  of  Liberty  Street,  he  became 
so  intent  upon  the  sport  as  to  walk  backwards  over  the  dock 
into  the  North  River.  A  gentleman  passing  saw  him  go 
over,  plunged  in  after  him,  and  saved  him  from  a  watery 
grave. 

On  another  occasion,  while  fishing  in  Stony  Brook,  N.  J., 
he  started  to  cross  the  stream  in  a  boat  to  obtain  a  fishing- 


10  LIFE   OF  EDWARD   NORMS   KIRK. 

rod.  When  a  part  of  the  way  over,  the  boat  struck  a  stump 
and  went  under  the  water.  His  sisterj  who  was  watching 
him,  saw  the  danger  and  screamed.  But  in  an  instant  the 
boat  came  up  with  him  holding  on  to  the  side ;  in  another 
instant  he  had  sprung  into  it,  and  then  shouted  to  his  sister 
to  have  no  fear  for  him.  He  rowed  across  and  obtained  the 
rod,  fishing  in  his  wet  clothes  upon  his  way  back. 

While  the  boy  was  at  the  academy  in  Princeton,  his  uncle 
kept  a  span  of  horses  which  were  very  spirited.  Many  a 
time  was  the  request  that  he  might  ride  denied  him,  on  the 
ground  of  safety  alone.  At  length,  however,  a  favorable 
opportunity  presented  itself,  when  he  determined  to  demon- 
strate his  skill  in  horsemanship,  though  he  must  secure  a 
Bucephalus  from  some  other  than  his  uncle.  He  met  a 
boy  on  horseback,  who  was  carrying  a  basket  of  eggs.  Ed- 
ward asked  the  privilege  of  having  a  ride,  promising  to  carry 
the  basket  and  thus  relieve  the  bearer  of  his  burden.  The 
boy  consented,  and  Edward  mounted,  but  the  horse  soon 
became  aware  of  the  unskilled  rider  and  started  at  a  gal- 
loping pace.  The  boy  clung  to  bridle  and  basket  alike,  but 
the  horse  sped  down  the  street.  People  saw  the  situation 
and  told  the  kind  uncle.  The  boy  who  had  loaned  the  horse 
ran  down  the  street  calling,  Whoa !  Whoa !  but  all  in  vain. 
Eggs  were  never  made  to  be  carried  in  such  a  fashion,  nor 
to  be  beaten  in  that  style.  Down  the  sides  of  the  horse  and 
over  the  furious  rider  streamed  the  contents  of  the  basket,  — 
all  except  the  shells.  When  at  length  the  horse  was  stopped, 
the  disappointed  rider  delivered  over  to  the  weeping  owner 
the  basket  of  egg-shells  in  sorrow  and  humility. 

Among  the  tracts  to  children  issued  by  the  American  Sun- 
day School  Union  is  one  by  the  title  of  "  The  Sabbath 
Breaker."  We  insert  the  story  in  these  pages  because  of 
its  history.  It  was  written  by  James  Waddell  Alexander, 
afterwards  the  distinguished  professor  at  Princeton,  and 
pastor  in  New  York.  The  boys  were  James,  the  writer 
himself,  and  Edward  N.  Kirk,  his  most  intimate  friend. 


BIRTH  AND   CHILDHOOD.  11 


THE    SABBATH   BREAKER. 

Children,  I  am  going  to  tell  you  another  story.  Every  word  of  it 
is  true,  and  I  know  it  to  be  so.  There  were  two  boys,  named  James 
and  Edward.  They  knew  what  was  right,  but  they  did  what  was  wrong. 
This  is  very  bad.  They  knew  that  the  Sabbath  was  God's  day,  but 
still  they  profaned  the  Sabbath. 

One  fine  Sabbath  afternoon,  they  had  a  lesson  in  the  Bible  to  say  to 
their  teacher.  But  they  were  wicked  and  played  truant.  They  did  not 
get  their  lesson.  And  they  played  instead  of  going  to  their  teacher. 
You  will  see  what  happened  to  them. 

Edward  and  James  used  to  go  to  bathe  in  a  brook  about  two  miles  from 
home.  Edward  asked  James  if  he  would  go  and  bathe  there.  James 
was  at  first  afraid  to  go,  because  it  was  the  Sabbath.  But  he  was  ashamed 
to  say  no.     So  they  both  set  off  to  go  to  the  brook. 

As  soon  as  they  set  off,  they  saw  that  some  clouds  were  rising.  But 
they  went  on. 

When  they  got  to  the  water,  it  thundered  very  loud,  so  that  James 
was  afraid  to  go  in,  though  he  was  undressed.  Edward  went  in  and 
bathed. 

The  thunder  was  so  loud,  and  it  rained  so  hard,  that  the  boys  dressed 
themselves  in  a  great  hurry  and  began  to  return.  The  storm  increased,  it 
was  very  dark,  and  the  lightning  was  dreadful.  The  boys  were  fright- 
ened. They  knew  they  had  done  wrong.  They  knew  that  God  saw 
them.  They  heard  his  thunder  in  the  heavens,  and  were  afraid.  One 
clap  of  thunder  was  awful.  The  lightning  struck  a  house  in  the  town, 
and  threw  down  a  part  of  the  chimney.  James  trembled,  because  he  was 
afraid  the  Lord  would  strike  him  dead.  But  God  is  merciful,  and  spai'ed 
these  bad  boys.     The  storm  was  short,  it  was  soon  clear  weather  again. 

When  James  and  Edward  got  half-way  home,  they  began  to  laugh  and 
talk  again.  James  was  afraid  Edward  would  think  he  was  frightened. 
To  show  how  brave  he  was,  James  took  a  penknife  and  tried  to  strike  it 
into  his  coat-sleeve.  The  knife  slipped,  and  the  whole  blade  went  into 
the  back  part  of  his  wrist.  The  blood  spouted  out,  and  ran  over  his 
white  clothes.  He  was  then  frightened  indeed.  He  had  escaped  the 
storm,  but  now  he  saw  God  had  punished  him.  He  had  to  send  for  a 
doctor.  The  doctor  said  it  was  a  wonder  he  had  not  cut  an  artery.  This 
was  many  years  ago,  but  I  saw  the  scar  on  his  wrist,  just  before  I  wrote 
this.     Bemember  the  Sabbath. 

When,  in  later  years,  his  sisters  recalled  the  many  exploits 
of  his  boyhood,  Edward  asked,  "  Was  I  ever  such  a  little 
wretch  as  that  ?  "  In  the  last  year  of  his  life,  as  the  family 
were  speaking  of  the  many  Providential  deliverances  he  had 


12  LIFE  OF  EDWARD  NORMS  KIRK. 

experienced,  some  one  called  his  attention  to  the  well-known 
hymn  of  Addison,  "  When  all  thy  mercies,  O  my  God,"  etc. 
He  exclaimed,  "  Oh,  how  beautiful ! "  With  especial  fervor 
he  repeated  the  third  verse :  — 

"When  in  the  slippery  paths  of  youth 
With  heedless  steps  I  ran, 
Thine  arm  unseen  conveyed  me  safe, 
And  led  me  up  to  man." 

He  was  affected  to  tears  in  reciting  it. 

Notwithstanding  all  this  exuberance  of  feeling,  he  proved 
himself  an  apt  scholar.  He  was  fitted  for  college  at  the  age 
of  fourteen  years.  Although  too  young  to  have  achieved 
remarkable  scholarship  or  maturity  of  thought,  he  gave 
promise  of  that  wonderful  power  over  his  companions  which 
so  distinguished  him  in  after  years.  While  he  was  a  gen- 
eral favorite  with  his  classmates,  there  was  one  —  the  after- 
wards distinguished  James  W.  Alexander  —  between  whom 
and  himself  a  friendship  sprang  up  like  that  between  David 
and  Jonathan.     It  lasted  through  life. 


CHAPTER   II. 

EDUCATION   AND    CONVEKSION. 
1817-1822. 

"  Beyond  the  departments  of  fun  and  fighting,"  wrote  Dr. 
Guthrie,  near  the  close  of  his  life,  "  I  was  no  way  distin- 
guished at  college.  I  was  a  mere  boy,  pushed  on  too  fast  at 
school,  and  sent  to  the  university  much  too  soon." 

Substitute  the  sport  of  hunting  for  that  of  fighting,  and 
the  college  life  of  young  Kirk  runs  nearly  parallel  with  that 
of  the  great  preacher  of  Scotland.  Guthrie  was  but  sixteen 
years  of  age  when  he  left  the  university  ;  Kirk  was  but 
eighteen  when  he  received  his  diploma  from  President  Ash- 
bel  Green,  of  Nassau  Hall. 

Until  the  close  of  his  life,  Dr.  Kirk  bemoaned  his  wasted 
college  days,  and  measured  their  lack  of  marked  success 
with  what  his  opportunities  afforded. 

Other  things  being  equal,  college  distinction,  like  every 
other,  involves  two  factors, —  ability  and  definiteness  of  pur- 
pose. "We  assume  —  what  the  reader  will  discover  in  these 
pages  —  that  the  natural  abilities  of  young  Kirk  were  not 
circumscribed.  In  this  respect,  his  college  course  afforded 
no  criterion  of  his  powers.  Besides,  every  college  affords 
examples  of  various  motives  actuating  to  scholarship.  Many 
have  no  higher  aim  than  the  preparation  for  the  day  of  grad- 
uation. Others,  slighting  present  duties,  grope  alone  toward 
the  post-graduate  honors.  Between  these  two  extremes  are 
found  the  great  mass  of  students  in  every  class.  Unapplied 
ability  succeeds  neither  in  college  nor  in  the  active  world. 
The  lamp  of  genius  —  if  genius  denotes  mere  ability  —  soon 


14  LIFE   OF  EDWARD  NORMS   KIRK. 

burns  out,  if  left  to  itself.  The  true  student  is  endowed 
with  a  purpose  to  make  the  most  of  himself  in  every  phase 
of  life.  He  recognizes  the  relation  of  his  college  course  to 
his  chosen  occupation  ;  and  according  to  his  life's  purpose, 
so  will  he  employ  every  means  offered  him  in  college. 

In  this  respect  young  Kirk  was  not  a  true  student.  He 
lacked  definiteness  of  purpose.  He  thought  little  of  the 
importance  of  college  life,  and  had  no  aims  for  the  future. 
He  was  gifted  with  a  mind  capable  of  grasping  the  truth 
with  great  aptness.  He  was,  moreover,  endowed  with  a 
will  which  only  needed  to  be  called  out  in  order  to  make 
him  a  master  among  men.  His  sympathetic  nature  was 
naturally  sensitive  to  every  conviction  of  duty ;  and  yet,  in 
college,  the  mind  and  will  and  sympathy  were  unenlisted, 
save  to  a  limited  degree.  He  lacked  "  the  one  thing  need- 
ful." His  college  life  reminds  one  of  the  remark  of  Justice 
Coleridge  concerning  the  gifted  Thomas  Arnold  :  "  Arnold 
came  to  us,  of  course,  not  a  formed  scholar,  nor,  I  think,  did 
he  leave  the  college  with  scholarship  proportioned  to  his 
great  abilities  and  opportunities."  The  attainments  in  col- 
lege life  are  not  always  sure  prophecies  of  attainments  to  be 
reached  in  the  greater  school. 

Kirk  began  the  preparation  for  college  when  twelve  years 
of  age.  At  fifteen,  he  joined  the  sophomore  class  of  Nassau 
Hall.  He  was  a  mere  boy,  genial,  and  petted  alike  by  the 
family  at  home  and  his  college  mates.  His  indulgent  Aunt 
Sarah  often  remembered  "  the  student  "  upon  baking-day,  — 
and  baking-day  sometimes  came  oftener  than  once  a  week. 
Whether  the  faculty  ever  learned  of  the  well-spread- table  in 
his  room,  around  which  the  merry  students  often  gathered, 
we  do  not  know.  Their  mirth,  however,  was  of  the  sup- 
pressed or  quiet  kind,  which  many  a  student  since  has  pat- 
terned. In  a  letter  to  the  "  Zodiac,"  years  afterwards,  he 
thus  alluded  to  his  college  life  :  — 

"  Unfortunately  for  the  human  race  in  general,  and  some  of  its  indi- 
vidual members  particularly,  when  we  were  at  college,  there  were  some 
who,  having  more  of  the  genius  than  the  modesty,  were  above  the  plod- 


EDUCATION  AND  CONVERSION.  15 

ding  taste  and  habits  of  their  companions.  In  the  sacred  retreats  of 
idleness,  amid  the  ascending  incense  of  tobacco  fumes,  and  in  the  rites 
of  the  jolly  god,  they  awaited  the  inspirations  of  genius.  Alackaday, 
their  god,  like  Baal  of  old,  was  sleeping  or  riding  out,  and  never  heard 
their  prayers. 

"  And  it  was  just  as  fortunate  for  the  world  that  there  were  some  who 
had  the  genius  and  the  modesty, — their  modesty  made  them  students. 
And  thus  they  matured  the  noble  faculties  which  their  Creator  bestowed 
vupon  them.  It  made  them  condescending,  kind,  and  affable,  and  thus 
they  are  adapted  to  carry  light  among  their  fellow-men,  without  a  repul- 
sive and  blinding  glare." 

Among  the  bright  remembrances  of  his  college  days  was 
one  which  he  could  never  forget  —  his  friendship  with  James 
Waddell  Alexander  and  Zebulun  Butler.  Their  intimacy 
in  youthful  wrong-doing,  and  soon  their  early  conversion, 
were  the  soil  out  of  which  grew  a  friendship  that  ripened 
with  their  years. 

"  We  have  often  formed  a  trio  at  a  card-table  and  around 
a  punch-bowl,  and  in  almost  every  scene  of  wickedness  which 
our  situation  afforded."  Thus,  even  in  a  condition  of  unbe- 
lief and  sin,  this  friendship  sprang  up,  to  ripen  under  purer 
skies.  The  trio  are  all  at  rest ;  yet  in  their  correspondence 
breathes  the  fervor  of  immortal  life.  "  Ned,"  "  James,"  and 
"  Dear  old  Zeb,"  in  fashion  such  as  follows,  they  wrote  of 
their  work,  their  joys,  and  their  sorrows  :  — 

"  Poor  Nassau!"  said  Alexander,  in  an  hour  of  her  need  to  Kirk, 
"  What  can  we  do  for  her?  I  am  sure  we  can  never  cease  to  love  her, 
little  as  we  owe  her." 

Again,  in  1827,  he  wrote  to  his  "  dear  Edward,"  after  a 
serious  illness :  — 

"  A  few  days  ago  it  seemed  to  me  that  all  human  attachments  were 
soon  to  be  broken.  And  oh,  my  dear  brother,  while  it  seemed  awful, 
inexpressibly  awful,  to  go  into  the  presence  of  the  unveiled  Jehovah,  yet, 
blessed  be  God,  my  soul  longed  to  put  off  this  tabernacle,  and  to  be  present 
with  the  Lord,  In  my  seclusion  I  have  thought  much  of  you,  and  of  for- 
mer days;  of  our  childhood  of  atrocious  guilt,  our  youth  of  concerted  and 
mingled  vileness,  our  conversion  and  our  halting  steps  in  the  Christian  life. 
We  are  now  separated;  yet  my  mind  reverts  to  one  who  knows  me,  and 
still  (knowing  my  worst  traits  more  fully  than   any  human  being)   loves 


16  LIFE    OF  EDWARD  NORRIS   KIRK. 

me.  I  desire  to  live  as  one  who  must  within  a  few  days  die;  yet  the 
work  of  these  few  days  is  vast,  for  it  is  God's  work,  it  is  work  for  eter- 
nity  Dear  Edward,  may  our  covenant  Lord  enable  you  and  me 

to  be  much  more  self-emptied,  and  more  thoroughly  sacrificed  to  him! 
At  the  throne  of  grace,  do  you  say  —  Amen.  I  must,  though  reluct- 
antly, say  —  Farewell  !  " 

Thus,  to  the  last,  each  letter  closed  with  substantially  the 
same  "  undiminished  regard  and  affection,"  —  with  a  desire 
for  some  prayerful  remembrance. 

In  1856,  February  6th,  Alexander  wrote  concerning  "  our 
old  friend  Butler,"  and  of  his  sickness  :  — 

"  You  know  that  he  lives  at  Port  Gibson.  He  is  now  the  oldest  min- 
ister of  the  Synod  of  Mississippi,  numbering  more  than  eighty  ministers ; 
a  statement  which  you  and  I,  my  dear  fellow,  may  well  and  solemnly 
ponder.  Without  having  been  a  man  of  letters,  Butler  has  been  a  cler- 
gyman of  commanding  influence  in  the  Valley  by  reason  of  his  sound 
sense,  unflinching  courage,  and  his  burning  zeal  manifesting  itself  in  a 
declaration  of  free  grace,  which,  however  open  to  criticism,  suited  and 
won  the  Southwestern  people." 

A  letter  from  Butler  in  1829,  full  of  zeal  in  his  work,  de- 
clares the  same  unbroken  love  :  — 

"  I  try  to  'magnify  mine  office,'  and  advance  my  Master's  cause.  I 
am  astonished  that  my  feeble  and  sinful  exertions  are  so  much  blessed. 
I  rejoice  with  you,  dear  Ned,  and  give  thanks  for  the  revival  of  which 
our  religious  papers  give  information My  dear  Kirk,  do  not  for- 
get me  ;  write  often.  I  love  you  and  shall  always.  My  friendship  for 
you  will  never  abate ;  and  I  so  long  to  see  you  in  this  desolate  land.  .  .  . 
Your  faithful  friend  and  loving  brother.  Z.   Butler." 

"Port  Gibson,  March  3,  1856. 

"  Bless  the  Lord,  O  my  soul !  What  a  light  has  been  thrown  over  the 
dreariness  of  my  chamber  !  Letters  from  my  oldest  and  dearest  friends 
—  Kirk  and  Alexander!  How  diversified  and  exhaustless  are  the  Divine 
means  of  cheering,  sustaining,  and  sanctifying  the  hearts  of  believers! 
A  letter  from  one  was  a  cordial,  but  kind  words  from  both  far  exceeded 
the  fabled  nectar.  What  has  God  wrought !  The  trio,  —  Nassau's 
reckless  trio,  the  three  youngest  and  the  three  wildest  of  the  class  of 
1820,  —  now  pastors  in  Boston,  New  York,  and  Port  Gibson,  — ■  D.  D.'s, 
moreover,  now  past  a  half  century  of  years.  The  trio  have  enjoyed 
one  hundred  and  fifty  years  of  God's  mercy.  Would  that  I  could  say, 
all  have  families  around  them.     Why,  Ned,  how  queer  it  is  —  you  have 


EDUCATION  AND   CONVERSION.  17 

none.  God  has  permitted  it.  I  have  eleven  children  ;  three  are  glori- 
fied ;  two  are  traveling  the  world  to  glory ;  and  the  rest  are  without  the 
fold  of  the  Good  Shepherd.  Oh  that  all  my  friends  would  help  us  to  get 
them  enfolded!  ....  Could  you  visit  us  how  you  would  please  our 
people,  and  I  know  you  would  enjoy  yourself,  especially  with  our  negro 
friends.     Do  write  again,  dear  brother,  and  know  my  love  is  forever. 

"  Zebulun  Butler." 

The  work  of  the  famous  trio  is  finished,  and  they  are 
all  together  again.  But  when  the  one  name  or  the  other  is 
written  upon  these  pages,  the  memory  of  their  hallowed 
lives  will  point  to  each  as  a  "  chosen  vessel,"  fashioned  and 
blessed  from  the  rough  material  of  unsanctified  human 
nature. 

In  reply  to  inquiries  concerning  the  college  life  of  young 
Kirk,  the  venerable  Ex-President  John  Maclean,  of  Prince- 
ton, has  written  as  follows  :  — 

"  As  I  was  some  years  older  than  Dr.  Kirk,  I  was  not  intimately 
acquainted  with  him,  while  he  was  a  student  here  ;  and  my  personal 
knowledge  of  his  deportment  is  not  such  as  would  justify  my  expressing 
a  positive  opinion  in  regard  to  it.  He  was  bright,  frank,  fond  of  the 
society  of  his  young  friends,  and  a  favorite  with  them  ;  and  among  them 
were  the  two  mentioned  in  your  letter.1 

"  While  he  was  not  a  very  diligent  student,  nor  a  scholar  of  high  rank 
in  his  class,  nor  as  attentive  as  he  might  have  been  to  college  rules,  yet 
I  have  no  recollection  of  his  ever  incurring  the  censure  of  the  Faculty ; 
and  I  presume  that  his  conduct  while  he  was  in  college  could  not  have 
been  so  wild  as  in  the  latter  part  of  his  life  he  seemed  to  regard  it.  But, 
as  intimated  above,  I  cannot  speak  with  confidence  in  reference  to  it." 

Notwithstanding  all  the  neglect  during  his  college  life,  we 
can  discern  the  tendency  of  his  nature  toward  oratory.  At 
an  exhibition  where  the  virtues  of  "  inhaling  gas "  were 
made  known  by  calling  forth  the  peculiar  chai^acteri sties  of 
the  individual,  he  came  upon  the  stage  under  its  influence, 
exclaiming  in  orotund  tones,  "  My  kingdom  for  a  horse  !  " 
Among  his  papers  is  an  oration  delivered  before  the  college, 
in  his  senior  year,  upon  slavery.  It  required  courage  to 
speak  as  Kirk  spoke  on  this  occasion.  The  nation  was  giv- 
ing its  undivided  attention  to  the  great  congressional  debate 

l  Alexander  and  Butler. 
2 


18  LIFE   OF  EDWARD  NORMS   KIRK. 

upon  the  Missouri  Compromise.  A  prominent  statesman 
had  spoken  the  popular  opinion,  that  opposition  to  slavery 
was  kindling  a  fire  which  it  would  take  rivers  of  blood  to 
extinguish.  The  "  Great  Commoner  "  was  calling  for  pru- 
dence upon  the  side  of  policy  rather  than  of  principle.  The 
slave  power  was  moving  towards  a  seemingly  complete  vic- 
tory ;  and  even  "  the  old  man  eloquent "  was  silent  as  re- 
garded freedom.  Garrison  was  an  unknown  apprentice  in  a 
country  printing-office,  and  was  to  wait  eight  years  before 
taking  his  noble  stand  for  liberty.  It  was  twenty-one  years 
before  Joshua  R.  Giddings  should  make  his  first  speech 
upon  slavery.  Wendell  Phillips  was  a  child  of  nine  years. 
The  Tappans  and  Mays  had  not  as  yet  begun  their  work. 

At  a  time  when  it  was  almost  treason  to  present  a  petition 
to  Congress  for  the  abolition  of  slavery,  Edward  Norris  Kirk, 
then  but  seventeen  and  a  half  years  of  age,  decided  upon  his 
path  of  duty,  from  which  he  never  afterwards  swerved. 
The  instruction  of  his  faithful  mother  was  bearing  its 
fruits.  Viewed  in  its  relation  to  the  times,  a  few  extracts 
from  his  maiden  effort  upon  one  of  the  all  absorbing  themes 
of  his  life  will  possess  a  deep  interest :  — 

.  .  .  .  "  Some,  indeed,  seem  disposed  to  maintain  that  the  children 
of  Africa  have  neither  a  desire  of  liberty,  nor  a  capacity  for  the  im- 
provement necessary  to  maintain  it.  Let  such  look  at  St.  Domingo  :  let 
them  there  see  how  the  sacred  flame  of  freedom  fired  the  souls  of  the 
Haytians,  and  led  them  to  undergo  every  fatigue  to  obtain  this  inval- 
uable possession.  If  any  such  doubt  that  the  blacks  possess  natural 
abilities,  let  them  again  look  at  St.  Domingo,  and  see  how  wisely  and 
equitably  the  government  which  they  have  established  is  administered. 

*'  The  apparent  inferiority  of  the  African  race  is  easily  accounted  for. 
Can  it  be  thought  that  any  man  brought  up  under  the  galling  yoke  of 
slavery,  and  without  so  much  as  one  twinkling  ray  of  science  to  cheer 
and  enlighten  his  benighted  mind,  should  be  anything  but  ignorant? 
Can  any  man  improve  without  even  the  smallest  means  of  improvement? 
We  know  that  such  has  been  the  condition  of  the  enslaved  Africans. 
What  proof  have  we,  then,  that  blacks  are  not  endowed  with  the  same 
faculties  as  other  men?  "  [Here  was  given  an  argument  to  prove  that 
the  Scriptures  could  not  sanction  the  evil.]  "  Alas,  my  country,  boast 
'not  of  Liberty,  while  Liberty  is  sacrificed  at  the  shrine  of  Interest."  .   .   . 


EDUCATION  AND  CONVERSION.  19 

"  What  an  employment  is  this  for  a  freeborn  American,  who  professes 
to  esteem  liberty  more  than  life  itself !  Even  England,  monarchical 
England,  has  forever  abolished  this  horrid  and  inhuman  practice.  And 
shall  America,  the  land  of  freedom,  the  home  of  the  emigrant,  be  sur- 
passed in  acts  of  humanity  by  a  country  whose  government  we  esteem 
less  free  and  more  selfish  than  our  own  ?  Ought  not  the  sable  sons  of 
Africa  rather  to  find  protection  here  ?  Alas  !  how  much  longer  shall 
they  be  driven  about  by  the  storms  of  adversity,  without  a  friend  to  pro- 
tect them  ?  Let  me  call  on  every  American  to  bring  the  case  home  to 
himself.  Think  how  ineffably  distressing  their  situation  is,  in  being  not 
only  forced  from  their  friends,  and  all  they  hold  dear  upon  earth,  but  in 
being  brought  into  a  foreign  land,  and  then  sold  like  beasts,  and  sub- 
jected to  the  lash  of  the  cruel  mercenary  master  whenever  it  suits  his 
caprice.  Bring  this  home,  I  repeat  it.  Place  yourself  in  their  con- 
dition ;  suppose  you  were  thus  treated,  and  then,  I  ask,  what  would  be 
your  feelings,  and  what  would  be  your  actions  ?  If  instant  despair  did 
not  seize,  or  melancholy  utterly  depress  you,  would  you  not  risk  even 
your  life  to  escape  ?  "  .... 

"  Who  then  will  dispute  whether  slavery  shall  be  checked  or  ex- 
tended:  that  is,  whether  Missouri  shall  or  shall  not  be  admitted  to  the 
?ights  of  a  State,  without  the  restriction  of  slavery?  " 

In  September,  1820,  young  Kirk  was  graduated  from  the 
college ;  and  in  the  succeeding  month  (October  9th),  he 
entered  upon  the  study  of  law  with  Messrs.  Peter  W.  Rad- 
cliffe  and  John  L.  Mason,  of  New  York.  It  was  another  of 
the  attempts,  so  common  in  the  history  of  individuals,  to 
choose  what  God  has  not  chosen  ;  yet,  doubtless,  the  ex- 
perience gained  was  of  great  advantage  to  him  in  after 
life. 

Near  the  close  of  his  life  he  dictated  his  own  convictions 
as  to  this  course.  We  transcribe  them  in  his  own  choice 
language : — 

LAW-STUDENT    EXPERIENCE. 

"  A  godly  father  had  consecrated  an  only  son,  as  Hannah  did  her 
Samuel,  for  the  service  of  the  sanctuary,  and  I  trust  the  Lord  had  done 
the  same.  But  a  wayward,  selfish  will  stood  for  a  time  as  an  obstacle  in 
the  execution  of  that  decree.  The  ministry  of  the  gospel  had  no  attrac- 
tions to  a  selfish  heart.  I  had  intended  to  study  medicine,  more  from  a 
whim  than  from  any  intelligent  appreciation  of  my  own  taste  or  qualifica- 
tions. A  visit  to  a  hospital  to  witness  a  surgical  operation  sufficed  to 
quench  all  enthusiasm  in  that  direction. 


20  LIFE   OF  EDWARD   NORRIS   KIRK. 

"  With  equal  thoughtlessness,  I  selected  the  law.  My  kind  but  re- 
luctant father  took  me  to  the  office  of  Radcliffe  &  Mason  in  New  York, 
and  entered  me  as  a  student.  It  sometimes  appears  to  me  that  on  our 
way  to  the  office  I  saw  a  tear  fall  from  his  cheek.  Dear  father!  God 
had  heard  your  prayer,  and  was  about  to  answer  it  in  his  own  time  and 
way.  With  tears,  with  trembling,  with  groans,  I  review  the  eighteen 
months  that  followed.  A  thoughtless  boy,  fond  only  of  play,  without 
habits  that  could  qualify  for  a  student's  life,  I  entered  that  office.  Creed, 
political,  social,  religious,  I  had  none;  whatever  I  had  might  be  thus 
expressed,  —  '  Man's  chief  end  is  to  have  a  good  time;  '  and  I  carried 
out  my  creed  with  great  consistency.  Had  a  conception  of  the  true  de- 
sign of  human  life,  of  its  possibilities,  its  privileges,  its  perils,  possessed 
my  soul,  I  should  not  now  have  to  weep  and  tremble,  as  I  review  that  sad 
period.  Had  one  passage  of  the  Word  of  God  been  believed  by  me,  — 
'  Whatsoever  a  man  soweth,  that  shall  he  also  reap,'  —  those  months  of 
folly  had  never  existed  as  the  cause  of  present  repentance.  Had  I  known 
that  I  had  a  soul  with  qualities  more  precious  than  all  the  mines  of  gold, 
diamonds, and  silver  on  the  globe,  —  had  I  known,  as  I  now  know,  what 
glorious  rewards  await  the  youth  who  gives  a  few  hours  of  every  day  to 
patient,  earnest  study, — had  I  understood,  above  all,  that  I  had  been 
redeemed,  not  by  silver  and  gold,  but  by  the  blood  of  the  Son  of  God, 
and  thus  ivas  not  my  own  master,  but  belonged  to  him,  — I  might  now  be 
able  to  hold  up  those  eighteen  months  as  an  example  that  other  youths 
might  follow  ;  but  as  it  is,  I  see  but  two  uses  to  make  of  them,  —  to  illus- 
trate the  patience  of  God,  and  magnify  the  riches  of  his  grace;  to  assure 
other  youths  that  God  is  not  mocked,  but  what  a  man  sows  he  reaps. 

"  The  only  bright  feature  of  that  period  I  can  recall,  is  that  which, 
with  the  rest,  exhibits  my  folly  and  God's  wisdom.  My  business  was  to 
get  a  comprehensive  view  of  jurisprudence,  and  prepare  myself  for  the 
practical  duties  of  the  profession.  Following  inclination  rather  than 
judgment,  I  joined  a  club  which  was  called  '  The  New  York  Forum.' 
Its  design  was  to  cultivate  in  its  members  the  qualities  that  would  pre- 
pare us  for  public  speaking.  Our  practice  was  to  select  some  topic  of 
popular  interest,  put  it  in  a  debatable  form,  and  select  three  or  four  to 
speak  on  each  side  of  the  subject.  Our  pieces  were  written  and  com- 
mitted to  memory  and  delivered  before  the  public;  or  such  of  the  public 
as  had  interest  enough  in  us  boys  to  pay  twenty-five  cents  apiece  for 
hearing  our  prattle. 

"Some  of  our  members  have  since  that  day  occupied  distinguished 
places  in  the  nation.  Some  of  the  most  brilliant  shone  with  a  meteoric 
lustre,  as  momentary  as  brilliant.  One  amusing  incident  I  remember 
connected  with  the  '  Forum,'  —  William  H.  Seward  and  myself  were  on 
the  same  side  of  the  question  we  were  to  discuss.  When  his  speech  was 
written,  he  informed  me  that  he  must  be  absent  from  the  city  on  the 


EDUCATION  AND  CONVERSION.  21 

evening  of  our  debate,  and  requested  me  to  incorporate  bis  speecb  with 
my  own,  as  it  contained  some  brilliant  points  which  be  wished  our  side  to 
present.  There  was  living  at  that  time  in  the  city,  a  poet,  of  whose  mer- 
its I  do  not  attempt  to  form  a  judgment.  His  name  was  Alex.  McDon- 
ald, generally  known  as  the  crazy  poet.  While  delivering  the  Seward- 
Kirk  speech,  I  observed  him  at  the  end  of  the  hall.  And,  so  far  as  I  can 
now  remember,  every  passage  of  Seward's  (certainly  without  any  knowl- 
edge of  its  authorship)  he  met  with  a  vigorous  clapping  of  the  hands, 
but  mine  he  passed  over  in  silence,  as  with  true  prophetic  foresight." 

During  the  summer  Alexander  and  Butler  of  the  famous 
trio  were  converted ;  and  they  immediately  made  known 
the  change  to  him.  The  ostensible  result  was  to  leave  him 
more  hardened  in  sin. 

' '  The  first  step  was  disrespect  of  my  parents ;  the  second,  disregard 
of  the  Sabbath.  I  now  went  on  from  step  to  step,  until  I  reached  a 
point  at  which  I  would  once  have  shuddered  to  look  (2  Kings  viii.  13), 
but  blessed  be  God,  I  was  not  to  be  given  up  entirely.  God  had  given 
me  a  praying  father.  After  one  year  in  this  course,  I  began  to  reflect 
upon  my  conduct,  and  determined,  let  the  sacrifice  be  what  it  would,  I 
would  amend.  [I  would  here  remark,  for  the  sake  of  those  who  have 
not  yet  tempted  Satan,  that  I  never  had  such  a  taste  of  hell  as  in  that 
year.]  For  this  purpose  I  went  to  Princeton,  just  before  the  commence- 
ment of  the  college.  1  spent  my  time  mostly  in  my  favorite  amusement, 
hunting.  When  I  returned,  I  was  almost  weaned  from  my  companions 
and  profligacies.  I  formed  steady  habits,  which  were  perceptible  to  all 
my  friends. 

"I  had  become  quite  intimate  with  a  young  man  named  Frederick 
Bull,  who  with  myself  had  determined  to  go  into  fashionable  and  genteel 
life,  and  forsake  all  our  low  immoralities." 

Kirk  had  no  relish  for  sacred  things  during  these  months. 
The  letters  of  his  old  friends  were  unanswered.  His  chosen 
companions  were  the  gay  and  thoughtless.  Being  asked  by 
a  sister  one  evening  to  join  their  circle  and  meet  some  in- 
vited guests,  he  asked,  "  Who  will  be  there  ?  "  She  re- 
plied, "  A  few  students  from  the  Theological  Seminary." 
He  was  standing  in  the  hall,  hat  in  hand  and  coat  upon  his 
arm,  when  he  said,  "  Isabel,  if  you  would  ever  have  any 
company  besides  those  black  coats,  I  would  come  in  some- 
times." And  then  the  handsome  young  man,  the  hater  of 
the  black  coats,  passed  out  from  the  house. 


22  LIFE   OF  EDWARD  NORMS   KIRK. 

It  was  God's  choice  that  such  a  coat  should  cover  this 
wayward  child  ;  and  He  prepared  the  way.  During  the 
summer  of  1820  his  friend  Bull  became  seriously  impressed, 
and  soon  obtained  a  hope  in  his  Saviour. 

Kirk's  three  most  intimate  friends  were  now  united  in 
their  efforts,  and  the  time  had  come  in  which  the  "  chosen 
vessel  "  was  to  be  redeemed  for  the  noblest  life.  We  recall 
his  own  description  of  the  event :  — 

"  Toward  the  close  of  the  year  1819  my  mind  was  receiving  new 
impressions,  then  not  recognized  in  their  reality  or  their  origin;  the 
blessed  Spirit,  source  of  all  that  is  good  on  earth,  with  infinite  conde- 
scension and  gentleness  and  kindness  was  watching  and  pursuing  a  soul 
bent  on  its  own  destruction.  Household  prayers  to  the  God  of  the  Cov- 
enant were  arising  with  earnestness  to  the  hearer  of  prayer.  It  would  be 
well  in  every  case  of  conversion  if  every  step  of  the  soul's  history  could 
be  recalled  and  recorded;  but  this  cannot  be  done,  because  the  passage 
from  the  kingdom  of  darkness  to  that  of  light  resembles  in  some  of  its 
stages  the  change  from  night  to  day.  In  some  situations  the  change  is 
so  entirely  gradual  as  to  be  unobserved. 

"  I  recall  the  fact  that  a  revival  of  religion  occurred  in  Princeton  Col- 
lege during  the  summer  of  1820.  It  was  then  the  custom  of  the  college 
to  dismiss  the  senior  class  six  weeks  before  commencement.  My  class 
was  accordingly  dismissed  in  July  or  August  of  that  year.  I  went  to 
my  home  in  New  York.  A  large  part  of  the  class  remained  in  Prince- 
ton, and  many  of  them  were  then  converted,  most  of  whom  became  min- 
isters of  the  gospel.  Among  them  I  recall  James  W.  Alexander,  the 
dearest  associate  of  my  youth,  Ebenezer  Mason,  and  Zebulun  Butler 
(since  of  Mississippi).  Alexander  and  Butler  both  wrote  to  me,  describ- 
ing the  change  they  had  experienced,  and  urging  me  to  join  them  in 
serving  and  honoring  the  Master.  I  recognized  no  impression  at  that 
time,  but  I  now  see  that  that  correspondence  was  a  link  in  the  golden 
chain  by  which  Infinite  Love  was  drawing  me  to  itself. 

"I  followed  the  pleasures  of  the  world  with  all  the  enthusiasm  of  an 
infatuated  servant  of  Satan.  I  tried  to  believe  I  was  happy.  I  now 
know  how  it  is  possible  for  others  to  indulge  the  same  delusion.  At  the 
opening  of  the  year  1822,  a  friend,  marking  the  folly  of  my  course, 
quietly  placed  in  my  hand  Foster's  '  Essay  on  Decision  of  Character.' 
The  words  of  the  opening  sentence  I  forget,  but  their  impression  John 
Foster  has  stamped  on  one  immortal  soul  for  eternity.  The  idea  is,  the 
madness  of  neglecting  to  answer  to  one's  self  the  two  questions,  What 
shall  I  be?  What  shall  1  do?  The  soul  responded  :  John  Foster  !  that 
is  so.     I  went  through  very  much  the  process  the  pagan  moralists  ascribe 


EDUCATION  AND   CONVERSION.  23 

to  Hercules.  Ambition  pointed  to  the  heights  of  fame  and  power. 
Pleasure  spread  her  charms.  The  golden  goddess  talked  of  palaces  and 
equipages,  of  luxuries,  of  influence  over  men;  each  saying,  with  one  of 
old:  '  All  these  things  will  I  give  thee  if  thou  wilt  fall  down  and  wor- 
ship me.'  A  still,  small  voice  was  uttering  amid  their  clamor:  'One 
thing  is  needful.' 

"  The  relish  of  favorite  amusements  was  diminishing,  and  I  agreed  with 
an  intimate  friend  to  spend  our  evenings  in  rational  entertainment. 
After  a  short  period  he  visited  his  friends  in  Connecticut.  He  found 
them  in  the  midst  of  a  powerful  revival,  and  there  he  found  Christ. 
Returning  to  New  York,  he  came  immediately  to  inform  me  of  the 
change  in  himself.  Night  after  night  we  walked  the  streets  together, 
and  talked  of  sacred  things.  I  was  deeply  interested  in  his  descriptions 
of  heaven ;  but  betrayed  a  silly  shame  and  pride  by  an  intense  aversion 
to  have  our  conversation  overheard,  either  interrupting  him  or  hurrying 
past  any  person  we  met. 

"  At  that  time  Jared  Waterbury,  with  a  fellow  student  from  Yale  Col- 
lege, glowing  with  the  fervor  of  the  revival  in  New  Haven,  came  to  the 
city.  They  held  meetings  in  private  houses  for  young  men.  On  the  21st 
of  March,  1822,  my  friend  persuaded  me  to  call  on  Dr.  Spring.  He  con- 
versed and  prayed  with  me.  I  was  conscious  of  utter  insensibility.  His 
parting  advice  was  :  '  Leave  your  law  office.  Go  to  your  room.  Deter- 
mine never  to  leave  it  except  as  a  Christian  or  a  corpse.'  I  accepted  the 
advice.  This  was  Thursday  afternoon.  Three  days  of  despairing  efforts 
were  passed  in  keeping  that  resolution.  The  Bible  and  Pilgrim's  Prog- 
ress were  my  only  companions.  How  strange  that  a  soul  made  to  know 
God  and  love  Him,  earnestly  seeking  to  return  to  Him,  should  find  itself 
unable  to  form  one  distinct  conception  of  his  being.  Every  tissue  of  my 
body,  every  power  of  my  soul,  was  a  witness  to  his  presence,  his  power; 
and  yet  He  was  to  me  as  a  phantom ;  if  a  being,  yet  inapprehensible,  un- 
approachable. Thoroughly  do  I  sympathize  with  every  human  soul  pass- 
ing through  these  deep  waters.  Impelled  by  the  full  conviction  that  my 
then  present  path  was  to  ruin,  convinced  that  the  religious  views  of  my 
friends  accorded  with  the  truth,  believing  intellectually  that  there  is  a 
God,  that  He  was  calling  me  to  return  to  Himself,  his  voice  sounding 
from  the  depths  of  eternity,  I  resolved  upon  a  complete  surrender  of  self 
to  Him.  A  life  of  selfishness  and  unbelief  had  left  my  heart  without  a 
God.  The  hour  had  come,  to  me  the  hour  of  destiny,  solemn  as  the 
Judgment  Day;  nothing  visible  but  the  gulf  to  which  the  tide  of  time  was 
rapidly  sweeping  me.  Oh,  the  horrors  of  those  days !  Then  I  discovered 
something  of  Jonah's  meaning —  '  Out  of  the  belly  of  hell  have  I  cried 
unto  thee.'  May  it  be  said  with  reverence  :  I  had  a  taste  of  that  cup 
from  which  even  the  Son  of  God  had  shrunk  ;  for  then  my  poor  soul  felt 
something  of  the  utter  desolation  that  forced  the  cry,  'My  God,  my  God, 


J*YV«£ 


24  LITE  OF  EDWARD  NORMS  KIRK. 

why  hast  thou  forsaken  rue?'  I  would  read  the  Bible,  a  child  of  the 
church,  yet  almost  as  ignorant  as  a  heathen.  I  knew  it  was  a  precious 
book  to  the  sin-sick  soul,  but  to  me  it  was  like  a  medical  book  to  one 
ignorant  of  the  medical  art.  Somewhere  in  it  every  one  of  his  symptoms 
is  described,  the  name  given  to  his  disease,  the  remedy  and  the  regimen 
clearly  pointed  out  ;  but  with  the  eunuch,  in  answer  to  Philip's  inquiry, 
'  Understandest  thou  what  thou  readest? '  I  was  forced  to  reply,  '  How 
can  I  except  some  man  should  guide  me  ? ' 

"  If  one  of  these  sad  evenings  had  been  in  the  Middle  Ages,  in  the  days 
of  superstition,  I  should  have  had  a  marvelous  tale  of  supernatural  light 
to  report,  and  perhaps  have  based  the  hope  of  heaven  upon  it.  As  I  was 
reading  how  Christian  was  struggling  in  the  Slough  of  Despond,  gradually 
a  gentle  light  fell  on  the  page,  increased  almost  to  the  brightness  of  mid- 
day, and  then  slowly  disappeared.  My  own  explanation  of  the  fact  is, 
that  a  cloud  at  that  moment  floated  to  a  jjoint  where  it  caught  the  rays 
of  the  sun,  already  far  below  the  horizon,  at  such  an  angle  as  to  reflect 
them  as  by  a  mirror  upon  my  book. 

"  On  Monday  afternoon  my  friend  called  for  me  to  accompany  him  to 
a  meeting  for  young  men,  held  in  a  private  house,  to  be  addressed  by  Mr. 
Waterbury.  A  landscape-picture  on  the  wall  aided  my  reflections.  It 
represented  a  bridge  across  a  stream.  That  bridge  was  to  me  the  life  of 
probation.  I  was  then  crossing  the  river  which  divides  time  from  eter- 
nity. Eternity  !  unending  existence  !  interminable  consciousness  of  holi- 
ness or  sin,  of  bliss  or  woe  !  I  was  then  deciding  for  eternity  my  own 
destiny.  The  soul  with  prodigious  energy  of  flight  passed  on,  leaving 
ages,  and  cycles,  and  ages  behind  it,  ever  looking  back  to  four  o'clock  on 
Monday  afternoon  of  the  25th  of  March,  1822,  either  rejoicing  or  regret- 
ting the  decision  then  made.  When  the  meeting  was  closed,  I  desired  to 
converse  with  the  leader.  As  a  gentleman  accompanied  him,  I  was 
obliged  to  follow  Mr.  Waterbury  fully  a  mile.  His  companion  left  him, 
and  I  then  approached  him  and  said  :  '  What  shall  I  do  ?  I  'm  a  wretched 
sinner.'  His  simple  reply  was  :  '  Why  not  trust  in  Christ?  '  Wonderful 
is  the  revelation  to  the  soul  of  the  reality  of  Christ's  existence  ;  the  glory 
of  his  person,  of  his  power  and  readiness  to  save.  Education  had  done 
all  it  could,  preaching  had  exhausted  its  power,  Christian  friendship  had 
exhausted  its  resources,  but  there  was  another  helper,  who  met  me  there, 
and  fulfilled  that  promise  of  the  blessed  Lord:  'He  shall  glorify  me  ; 
for  He  shall  receive  of  mine  and  shall  show  it  unto  you.'  Yes  ;  Jesus 
was  glorified  in  that  heart!  To  a  bewildered,  despairing  soul,  a  super- 
natural revelation  was  made,  to  which  reason,  philosophy,  science,  con- 
tributed nothing.  As  I  gazed  on  that  countenance  full  of  divine  majesty 
and  mercy,  two  feelings  were  prominent ;  the  one,  a  wish  for  a  thousand 
souls  to  commit  to  his  hands ;  the  other,  a  desire  and  purpose  to  spend 
the  remainder  of  life  in  persuading  other  sinners  to  come  and  trust  Him. 
That  was  my  call,  my  consecration,  to  the  ministry  of  the  gospel." 


EDUCATION  AND   CONVERSION.  25 

From  that  moment,  Edward  Norris  Kirk  became  a  new 
man.  We  may  say  what  we  will  of  the  power  of  education, 
but  the  religion  of  Jesus  aroused  in  him  every  dormant 
power.  "We  look  upon  his  life  as  a  truthful  proof  of  the 
apostle's  declaration,  "  If  any  man  be  in  Christ  he  is  a  new 
creature  ;  old  things  are  passed  away ;  behold,  all  things  are 
become  new."  From  that  moment  the  motives  of  his  life, 
and  its  course,  were  all  changed.  Religion  made  him  a  true 
student  redeeming  the  time.  Religion  was  the  spring  of  his 
eloquence.  Religion  evoked  a  sympathy  as  broad  as  the 
world,  in  place  of  his  former  selfish  indifference.  Religion 
quickened  his  powers  of  perception.  In  him  was  demon- 
strated the  importance  of  a  vital  faith  to  quicken  the  in- 
tellect. 

Religion  turned  the  course  of  his  thoughts  from  the  world, 
and  inward  upon  his  soul.  From  henceforth  we  shall  dis- 
cern him  measuring  himself  by  his  own  inner  experiences 
before  the  Scriptures  as  before  a  mirror.  In  these  days, 
when  so  many  are  tempted  to  compare  men  with  each  other, 
proclaiming  piety  to  be  the  absence  of  any  open  violation 
of  divine  truth,  the  life  of  Dr.  Kirk  will  be  a  healthy  ex- 
ample. 


CHAPTER  III. 

THEOLOGICAL    STUDIES    AND    PREPARATORY    EXPERIENCE. 

1822-1825. 

In  "  The  Intellectual  Life,"  Mr.  Hamerton  says,  with 
discrimination,  "  Let  us  understand  that  the  intellectual  life 
and  the  religious  life  are  as  distinct  as  the  scientific  and  the 
artistic  lives."  One  conversant  with  the  doctrines  of  a 
systematic  theology  is  not  necessarily  a  devout  man.  On 
the  other  hand,  a  devout  man  is  not  necessarily  prepared  to 
preach. 

Kirk  had  no  sooner  become  a  Christian  than  his  resolu- 
tion was  made  to  preach  the  gospel ;  and  on  the  17th  day 
of  November,  1822,  he  entered  the  Theological  Seminary  at 
Princeton.  With  a  maturity  of  purpose  rarely  witnessed, 
he  entered  upon  this  most  important  period  of  his  life.  He 
discerned  the  two  great  objects  of  this  course,  —  his  intel- 
lectual and  his  spiritual  culture.  It  is  sufficient  to  say  that 
his  college  habits  were  reversed.  He  became  a  diligent  and 
successful  student. 

Mr.  Kirk  learned  in  his  seminary  course  the  secret  of  a 
truly  successful  life,  which  many  a  minister  has  found  out  too 
late  to  be  the  basis  of  his  success,  —  the  great  reality  of  a 
present  Christ.  As  the  power  of  Moses  was  not  found  in 
"  all  the  wisdom  of  the  Egyptians,"  but  was  gained  at  "  the 
back  side  of  the  desert,"  so  the  power  of  Dr.  Kirk  lay  in 
the  fact  that  his  intellectual  pursuits  were  guided  by  the 
aspirations  of  a  sanctified  heart. 

The  pages  of  this  chapter  will  lay  open  for  the  first  time 
to  the  public  gaze  the  conflicts  of  this  devout  student :  the 


PREPARATORY  EXPERIENCE.  27 

place  whereon  we  stand  is  holy.  In  all  his  diary  there  is  no 
record  of  popular  applause  or  scholarly  success.  No  open 
conflicts  or  records  of  received  jealousies  find  a  place  there. 
It  was  "the  burning  bush,"  and  not  human  commendations, 
that  held  the  chief  place.  May  no  hasty  or  impatient  hand 
turn  these  leaves  !  May  no  page  be  left  unread  !  Without 
this  experience,  his  ministry  would  have  been  a  failure. 

We  shall  observe  that  his  standard  was  as  far  above  what 
is  called  "  morality  "  as  the  heaven  is  higher  than  the  earth. 
Sin,  in  his  view,  might  lie  in  the  heart,  even  while  the  out- 
ward life  appeared  circumspect.  More  than  conversion  is 
necessary  for  every  Christian,  —  but  especially  for  the  Chris- 
tian minister. 

He  tells  us  that  soon  after  his  conversion  he  approached 
the  throne  of  grace  with  so  much  confidence  and  so  little 
humility,  that  a  spiritual  declension  led  him  to  take  less 
pleasure  in  spiritual  things.  From  this  point  he  shall  tell 
his  own  story.  The  diary  begins  upon  his  arrival  in  Prince- 
ton, about  three  months  before  the  seminary  term :  — 

"  From  the  time  of  my  arrival  in  Princeton,  I  began  to  decline  in  every 
point,  and  at  last,  for  fear  of  omitting  my  devotional  exercises,  I  bad  to 
appoint  regular  seasons  for  tbem.  I  grew  more  and  more  cold  until  one 
day,  going  to  see  Alexander,  I  found  him  in  a  most  delightful  frame, 
and  in  some  degree  caught  the  spirit,  and  from  that  time  I  began  to  ob- 
tain more  humbling  views  of  myself,  and  better  ideas  of  prayer,  but 
knew  nothing  about  self-examination.  Read  Owen  on  spiritual-minded- 
ness,  which  appeared  to  tear  up  my  hopes  and  expose  my  hypocrisy. 
Conversed  with  Alexander,  who  tried  to  comfort  me,  but  the  voice  of 
man  cannot  still  the  waves  of  doubt  and  temptation  ;  nothing  but  the 
repetition  of  "  Peace,  be  still,"  would  do  :  our  conversation,  however, 
has  resulted  in  my  intention  to  keep  a  journal  or  diary,  commencing  — 

"August  7,  1822.  —  Felt  very  much  distressed;  knew  that  God  was 
then  striving  with  me  ;  but  Satan  kept  me  from  praying  and  at  last 
drew  me  off  entirely  from  religious  thoughts  for  the  remainder  of  the 
day. 

"  August  Slh.  —  Commenced  the  day's  usual  exercises  and  felt  no  devo- 
tion. 

"August  13th.  —  I  perceive  that  this  book  is  my  spiritual  thermome- 
ter ;  if  I  omit  duties,  and  feel  indifferent,  I  omit  writing.  Spent  this 
day  most  shamefully  and  awfully ;  this  evening  had  some  of  the  fruits 


28  .  LIFE   OF  EDWARD   NORMS   KIRK. 

of  it  in  feeling,  and  have  now  no  consolation.1  To-morrow,  going  to 
travel.  Oh  that  the  Lord  would  keep  me  in  his  fear.  Engaged  with 
my  dear  friend  A.  to  meet  him  at  a  throne  of  grace  at  7  o'clock.  Oh 
that  we  may  meet  at  a  throne  of  glory!  Must  now  go  to  devotion.  O 
God,  meet  me  there  ;  solemnize  my  thoughts ;  exercise  my  affections  ; 
grant  me  humility  and  love  for  devotion!  Read  Ps.  cvi.  1.  Praise  the 
Lord,  O  my  soul,  for  surely  goodness  and  mercy  from  the  hand  of  the 
Lord  have  followed  me  all  my  life.  2.  Mighty  indeed  are  thy  works, 
O  God  !  thou  who  hast  created  the  heavens  and  the  earth,  even  angels 
cannot  fully  declare  thy  praises.  3.  Blessed  indeed  is  he  that  doeth 
righteousness  at  all  times ;  if  this  was  a  condition  of  my  blessedness, 
poor  indeed  would  be  my  lot.  4.  O  Lord,  come  with  thy  salvation  ! 
give  me  thy  favor,  which  is  life,  and  thy  loving  kindness,  which  is  better 
than  life.  5.  I  had  fainted  had  I  not  believed  to  have  seen  the  good- 
ness of  the  Lord  in  the  land  of  the  living,  but  I  hope  to  see  God's 
people  blessed  on  earth.  6.  There  is  none  that  doeth  good  ;  and  that 
none  embraces  me."  .... 

"  August  22d.  —  Returned  from  traveling  several  days  ago.  Did  not 
think  of  my  diary  until  vanity  induced  me  to  read  it  to  a  friend.  In 
traveling  thought  little  of  God,  until  Friday  last,  when  I  saw  a  Chris- 
tian struggling  with  the  King  of  Terrors  ;  created  some  awful  feelings 
of  which  I  am  not  completely  rid.  I  thought  I  should  not  like  to  be 
brought  to  the  test  yet,  but  who  knows  how  soon  I  may  be  called  to  it? 
To-night,  conversed  with  a  friend  who  told  me  to  be  much  in  my  room, 
little  out  in  company  and  to  think  much,  as  the  best  way  of  acquiring 
knowledge.  Heard  a  sermon  from  John  vi.  40.  Determined  in  God's 
strength  to  come  to  so  willing  a  Saviour.  I  intend  hereafter  in  my 
prayers  to  converse  with  God,  and  not  make  speeches  before  him."   .  .  .  . 

"  August  25th. —  Sabbath.  Read  Martyn;  saw  in  a  small  degree  my 
dreadful  condition  of  coldness  and  negligence  of  duty.  Saw  the  mighti- 
ness of  the  work  before  me,  but  felt  nothing  like  my  insufficiency,  nor 
the  knowledge  in  which  I  was  deficient."  .... 

"August  13,  1823.  —  This  day  closes  my  twenty-first  year.  I  have 
now  lived  twenty-one  years,  and  have  arrived  at  the  age  of  manhood ; 
how  is  it  with  thee,  my  soul?  Come,  let  us  consider,  art  thou  arrived  at 
the  stature  of  manhood  in  Christ  Jesus  ?  Or  art  thou  still  a  babe,  still 
needing  milk,  still  unable  to  resist  thine  enemies?  —  Ah!  the  retrospect 
is  dark,  —  nineteen  years  spent  in  open  wickedness,  a  year  and  a  half 
spent  apparently  in  the   service  of   Christ !     How  little  have  I  done  for 

1  The  reader  will  repeatedly  observe  the  The  imperfections  of  the  best  life  were  noted 

likeness  of  the  language  of  the  diary  to  that  as  monstrous  deformities    when    compared 

of  the  biographies  of  half  a   century  ago.-  with  the  life  of  the  blessed  Lord;  and  thus 

Godly  men   called  themselves  "  wretches,"  they  expressed  the  fact,  in  the  most  self- 

"  wicked,"  "  vile,"  ofteuer  then  than  now.  depreciating  terms. 


PREPARATORY  EXPERIENCE.  29 

Him,  how  much  against  Him!  Where  are  now  the  bright  prospects  I 
once  had?  Where  are  the  joy  and  love  that  once  filled  my  soul?  Fled 
like  the  morning  mist!  Sin  has  gained  the  ascendency  —  yes,  bitterly 
have  I  sinned.  Eighteen  months  ago  I  thought  myself  secure  from  all 
sin;  I  thought  I  should  lead  a  life  of  holiness  and  happiness  here  without 
a  moment  of  sin.  Old  Christians  told  me  it  would  be  otherwise.  I  could 
not  believe  them,  but  alas!  they  did  not  tell  me  half  —  no,  nor  quarter  — 
of  the  truth.  Oh,  I  have  trampled  under  foot  the  love  of  Jesus.  I  have 
broken  my  most  solemn  covenant.  What  then  is  to  be  done?  Am  1 
about  to  give  up  ?  Has  the  Lord  forsaken  me?  Oh,  no;  I  cannot  part 
with  Jesus,  because  He  is  just  what  a  poor  soul  needs!  If  I  let  Him  go, 
I  am  undone.  This  night  I  call  upon  angels  to  witness  that  the  Lord 
has  been  merciful  to  me  beyond  expression,  and  that  I  this  night  take 
Him  to  be  my  portion  for  time  and  eternity;  and  though  He  bring  me 
through  the  furnace  of  affliction  and  temptations;  though  I  am  tried  to 
the  utmost  of  my  strength ;  yet  in  Him  will  I  put  my  trust,  knowing  that 
He  is  able  to  support  me  in  every  hour  of  trial ;  knowing  that  his  grace 
is  sufficient  for  me.     'Bless  the  Lord,  O  my  soul.'  "  .  .  .  . 

"  August  loth.  — To-niirht  I  went  to  a  tea-party  (poor  employment), 
though  I  do  not  heartily  dislike  them.  But  blessed  be  God,  his  kindness 
reached  me  there.  I  had  a  most  delightful  improving  conversation.  Ah! 
do  I  not  love  Jesus?  Is  He  not  precious  above  everything?  I  am 
afraid  to  answer,  my  heart  is  so  deceitful.  But  I  love  to  meet  his 
people,  I  love  to  converse  with  them.  Oh,  yes,  Jesus  is  at  least  some- 
times precious  to  me.  I  would  that  He  were  always  so.  God,  in  his 
infinite  mercy,  grant  it  !  I  this  night  feel  somewhat  grateful  to  God, 
and  I  feel  rather  more  free  than  usual  from  the  burden  of  my  cares  and 
doubts.  What  must  be  the  joy  of  those  who  inhabit  the  mansions  Jesus 
has  gone  to  prepare?  A  very  dear  friend,  who  I  fear  is  out  of  the  ark 
of  safety,  this  night  feelingly  asked  an  interest  in  my  prayers,  poor 
creature,  wretched  being,  that  I  am.  Oh,  methinks  if  you  did  but 
know  me,  you  never  would  have  made  that  request  of  me."  .... 

"  September  3d.  —  Oh,  the  height  and  the  depth  of  the  love  of  God.  I 
am  a  wonder  to  my  companions,  my  acquaintances,  and  myself.  That  a 
person  who  was  so  hardened  in  iniquity  should  take  delight  in  medita- 
ting on  the  character  of  God  !  '  Oh,  to  grace  how  great  a  debtor  !  ' 
When  shall  I  be  able  to  pay  the  debt  of  love  I  owe?  Never!  Eternity 
must  first  be  exhausted.  But  I  have  before  thought  I  was  in  a  good 
frame,  and,  oh,  into  what  sin  have  I  afterwards  fallen  !  And  may  it  not 
be  so  again  ?  God  forbid ;  for  I  know  there  is  an  all-sufficiency  in  Christ. 
If  I  trust  in  Him,  his  grace  can  be  sufficient,  and  I  need  not  fall  again 
into  presumptuous  sin.  Fit  me  for  thy  service  as  a  Christian,  especially 
as  a  gospel  minister.  Oh,  may  I  feel  the  responsibility  of  my  situation, 
and  repose  with  all  my  might  upon  the  bosom  of  my  kind  Redeemer." 


30  LIFE   OF  EDWARD  NORRIS   KIRK. 

"January  20,  1824.  —  A  sudden  death  in  town,  the  small-pox  in  my 
uncle's  family,  together  with  the  conference  of  the  students  last  Sunday, 
have  again  forced  me  to  reflect  upon  my  situation.  Oh,  I  am  a  dreadful 
sinner!  1  have  been  thinking  how  I  would  like  to  meet  death,  and  I  find 
myself  completely  unprepared.  O  God!  spare  my  unprofitable  life,  and 
give  me  that  faith  in  thy  Son,  which  shall  lift  me  higher,  and  which  shall 
be  read  in  all  my  deportment."   .... 

"January  10,  1825.  —  Like  the  bustling  man  of  business,  who  forgets 
the  very  existence  of  those  whom  he  does  not  meet  in  the  regular  routine 
of  his  business,  so  am  I  with  my  little  book.  How  it  has  been  neglected  ! 
But  have  I  had  nothing  to  tell  it?  Ah,  yes,  I  have  had  much  to  tell; 
such  things  as  its  pages  hardly  have  seen,  except  the  memorable  instance 
of  my  rescue  from  eternal  destruction.  M. ,  a  man  of  notorious  profligacy 
and  infidelity,  gave  glorious  testimony  in  his  dying  hours  to  the  fact 
that  "on  whom  He  will,  He  hath  mercy."  On  Thursday,  December 
23d,  M. ,  after  lingering  for  some  time  with  the  consumption,  was  called 
into  eternity.  On  the  morning  of  that  day,  he  swooned  and  appeared 
to  be  dying.  The  Rev.  Dr.  A.  was  sent  for  ;  by  the  time  he  came,  M. 
had  opened  his  eyes  with  a  heavenly  expression.  As  he  recognized 
the  doctor  he  extended  his  hand  and  grasped  his  most  cordially,  but 
showed  that  he  was  deprived  of  his  speech,  though  enjoying  the  perfect 
exercise  of  his  reason.  He  was  questioned  in  relation  to  his  former  life, 
when  he  gave  an  awful  expression  of  abhorrence,  and  seemed  as  if  he 
could  not  sufficiently  show  his  disapprobation  of  it.  When  asked  if  he 
could  rely  on  the  merits  of  Christ,  he  looked  upward  with  a  complacent 
smile  and  nodded  often,  and  thus  showed  by  the  most  expressive  gestures 
that  his  feelings  had  undergone  a  perfect  revolution;  he  gave  testimony 
to  a  truth  he  had  often  denied,  that  any  one  could  meet  death  fearlessly. 
Thus  was  terminated  a  course  of  upwards  of  thirty  years  of  hardened 
impiety.  Whether  his  conversion  was  genuine,  God  only  knows.  But 
it  was  at  any  rate  a  wonderful  instance  of  mercy;  it  gave  a  balm  to  the. 
wounded  feelings  of  an  afflicted  family,  and  I  trust  it  has  been  the  means 
of  awakening  several  careless  sinners  in  this  place.  God  grant  it,  and 
let  not  so  powerful  a  sermon  be  without  effect." 

There  existed  at  this  time  in  Princeton  an  institution  which 
in  its  scope  will  recall  the  celebrated  band  of  Oxford,  founded 
in  1729,  and  including  such  men  as  the  afterward  famous 
Wesleys  and  George  Whitefield.  John  Wesley  attributes 
the  origin  of  that  in  his  day  to  the  "  Call  to  a  Holy  Life,'1 
by  the  Rev.  William  Law.  Of  the  one  at  Princeton,  Dr. 
Kirk  has  left  such  hints  as  those  which  follow  :  — 

"  We  formed  two  bands  in  the  seminary,  which  I  found  to  be  very 


PREPARATORY   EXPEEIEXCE.  31 

useful.  The  one.  we  called  the  '  Round  Table.'  It  was  formed  for  cul- 
tivating the  power  of  discussing  profound  subjects  extemporaneously. 
The  other  was  formed  for  the  higher  purpose  of  cultivating  the  divine 
life  in  our  hearts.  We  used  to  meet  on  Sabbath  mornings  to  communi- 
cate to  each  other  the  story  of  the  week's  conflicts,  failures,  and  triumphs. 
We  reached  a  point  of  sacred  friendship  that  enabled  us  in  the  fullness 
of  fraternal  love  to  reprove,  each  in  the  other,  whatever  he  had  seen 
amiss  during  the  week.  I  remember  the  case  of  one  brother  whose 
defects  were  very  prominent.  On  one  occasion  he  was  absent  from  our 
meeting;  his  faults  came  up  before  us.  Our  conversation  about  them 
was  in  the  spirit  of  love  an  1  sympathy;  I  was  called  upon  to  lead  in 
prayer  for  him.  I  never  shall  Forget  what  an  impression  that  act  of  pray- 
ing for  him  made  on  my  mind.  As  his  faults  came  up  in  conversation 
or  in  thought,  I  felt  as  a  mother  must  feel  for  the  faults  of  her  child.  I 
never  .again  spoke  censoriously  of  him.  To  this  little  band,  under  God's 
blessing,  I  attribute  the  beginning  of  revived  religious  feeling  in  the 
institution.  The  Spirit  of  God  was  dealing  with  me  in  a  manner  illus- 
trating Paul's  appeal:  'Behold  the  goodness  and  severity  of  God.'  He 
was  convincing  of  sin,  of  righteousness,  and  of  judgment  to  come.  I 
remember  our  being  invited  to  a  gathering  in  a  neighboring  village,  called 
the  'Bee,'  or  pastor's  donation  visit.  I  was  very  gay.  My  fondness  for 
fun  and  joke  had  full  play.  But  on  returning  home,  there  was  little 
sleep  for  me  that  night  ;  the  fun  was  all  very  well,  only  it  was  out  of 
place.  My  Saviour  had  other  work  for  me  just  then.  He  was  repeating 
to  me  his  message  to  the  church  in  Ephesus.  My  business  then  was  to 
concentrate  every  faculty  of  my  being  in  the  act  of  listening  to  Him. 
1  Thou  hast  left  thy  first  love ;  '  gentle  but  cutting  reproof  !  I  was  as 
much  under  conviction  of  sin  as  any  inquirer  who  ever  afterwards  asked 
me,  '  What  must  I  do  to  bo  saved?  '  " 

Nearly  a  half  century  later,  Dr.  Kirk  dictated  the  story 
of  this  conflict  through  which  he  passed  before  abiding 
peace  came  to  his  soul.  With  humility  he  spoke,  and  knew 
not  that  his  face  shone.  That  study  on  Stamford  Street  was 
a  Bethel  while  the  revered  and  honored  servant  of  God 
declared  this  part  of  the  story  of  his  earlier  life  :  — 

"  The  vacation  came,  and  1  went  home  to  my  father  in  New  York.  I 
could  not  rest.  The  inconsistency  of  looking  to  the  ministry  while  God 
was  displeased  with  me  was  intolerable.  I  heard  that  the  Rev.  Mr.  Lud- 
low was  conducting  the  services  in  Dr.  Richards's  church  in  Newark,  and 
that  the  people  were  then  enjoying  a  special  blessing  from  God.  That 
was  the  place  for  me.  If  I  could  get  into  that  house  unknown  to  every- 
body,  and  sit  among  the  inquirers,   my  soul  might  find  relief  in  some 


32  LIFE   OF  EDWARD  NORMS   KIRK. 

word  the  Spirit  might  direct  his  servant  to  utter.  Great  was  my  disap- 
pointment, on  arriving  at  the  place,  on  being  informed  that  the  meeting 
of  the  evening  had  reference  to  an  Indian  mission.  Heartsick,  I  went 
to  my  room  feeling  that  God  was  cutting  me  off  from  a  dependence  on 
any  but  Himself.     He  administered  his  ordinances. 

"  It  occurred  to  me  that  Mr.  Waterbury,  .a  fellow-student  in  theology, 
who  first  pointed  me  to  Christ,  would  welcome  me  and  help  me.  His 
brother  lived  at  Westfield.  Having  walked  to  Newark  (about  nine  miles), 
I  started  the  next  morning  on  foot  for  Westfield.  Footsore,  heartsore,  and 
with  aching  head,  I  reached  the  dwelling  and  inquired  for  my  friend. 
There  my  cup  was  filled  when  they  told  me  he  was  not  in  town.  His 
kind  sisters  perceived  that  I  was  fainting.  They  kindly  provided  a 
resting-place  for  me  ;  but  my  broken  slumbers  were  soon  disturbed  by  a 
message  from  the  pastor  of  the  church.  Learning  that  a  student  of  the- 
ology was  in  town,  he  sent  for  me  to  go  instantly  and  see  a  young  lady 
then  dying.  She  had  called  for  her  young  friends  to  come  and  witness 
her  dying  hours.  The  faithful  Saviour  was  with  her  in  the  dark  valley, 
and  she  wished  to  persuade  them  to  put  their  trust  in  Him.  The  pastor 
stated,  that,  after  my  visit  to  her,  one  of  his  deacons  would  take  me  in 
his  wagon  from  house  to  house,  to  converse  with  the  neighbors,  who  had 
received  deep  impressions  from  the  conversation  of  this  young  lady. 
This  was  to  me  astonishing.  How  could  the  Saviour  call  on  me,  who 
was  myself  but  an  inquirer  after  the  way  of  life,  to  become  a  guide  to 
others  ?  But  I  received  the  call  as  his.  He  could  not  smile  upon  me,  — 
He  had  too  much  against  me;  but  He  that  saw  the  depth  of  Peter's  heart, 
heard  mine  say,  through  all  these  doubts  and  fears,  '  Lord,  Thou  know- 
*st  that  I  love  Thee.'  Then  commenced  a  new  phase  of  the  struggle. 
God  seemed  to  be  dealing  with  me  on  new  gi'ound.  I  understood  Him 
to  say,  '  Do  you  wish  to  be  a  minister  of  the  gospel?  '  I  replied,  '  I  do.' 
— '  Do  you  wish  to  be  a  useful  minister?  '  —  'I  do.'  — ' I  will  now  put  you 
to  the  test.  Go  witness  the  power  of  my  grace  in  that  dying  scene ;  then 
go  with  my  servant  from  house  to  house.'  — '  Lord,  how  can  I  go  ?  I  am 
so  cold,  so  burdened,  so  doubtful  about  my  own  sincerity;  and  then  it  will 
be  contrary  to  the  whole  impulse  of  my  nature  to  obtrude  myself  where  I 
may  be  unwelcome,  and  then  introduce  the  topic  most  unwelcome  to  those 
I  visit.'  —  '  You  have  your  choice  :  refuse,  and  then  abandon  the  hope  of 
usefulness ;  go,  and  I  will  bless  your  ministry. '  Then  I  put  the  cross  on 
my  shoulder;  it  was  very  heavy  all  that  dark  day,  but  never  since.  I 
would  have  given  my  companion  all  my  little  store  if  he  would  have  turned 
his  horse  in  the  opposite  direction ;  but  on  he  went  from  door  to  door,  in- 
troducing me  as  the  guide  for  souls.  I  met  women  at  the  wash-tub,  men 
in  the  midst  of  business.  Unaccustomed  to  dealing  with  men,  ignorant 
of  the  world,  uncheered  by  hope,  simply  following  the  stern  lead  of  con- 
science, I  went  on  doing  the  work  of  that  day.     It  was  a  turning-point 


PREPARATORY  EXPERIENCE.  33 

in  my  life.  Light  beamed  in  upon  my  soul.  Hope,  love  for  Jesus,  yearn- 
ings over  the  perishing  souls  of  men  displaced  the  darkness  of  my  recent 
experience.  The  Spirit  of  the  Lord  was  breathing  on,  the  people,  and  it 
was  joyous  to  echo  mercy's  invitation,  '  Ho,  every  one  that  thirsteth, 
come,'  etc." 

Looking  back  over  the  last  year  of  his  seminary  life,  we 
find  him  from  Sabbath  to  Sabbath  beginning  his  work  as  a 
preacher.  The  field  of  his  labors  was  in  the  outskirts  of 
Princeton.  As  in  other  instances  a  name  too  classical  is  not 
allowed  to  monopolize  the  whole  place,  so  was  it  almost  un- 
der the  shadows  of  the  university.  Not  all  the  inhabitants 
of  the  town  were  of  classic  taste ;  accordingly  some,  of  a 
particular  district,  gloried  in  the  name  Jugtown.  With 
these,  jealous  neighbors  dwelling  in  Dogtown,  and  others 
dwelling  in  Snufftown,  contended.  Whence  came  these 
names,  we  do  not  know,  but  now  they  are  known  no  more. 

It  was  in  Jugtown  the  young  preacher  began  his  life's 
work  ;  and  back  to  Jugtown  are  directly  traceable  some  of 
the  impressive  lessons  of  his  life. 

"I  commenced  preaching  to  an  assembly  of  colored  people  in  Prince- 
ton. I  remember  entering  the  pulpit  of  our  little  chapel  one  evening, 
after  a  careful  preparation.  I  sat  solitary  in  the  house  for  several  min- 
utes. A  colored  woman  came  in  at  length,  with  the  gait  of  one  wearied 
with  work.  After  a  few  minutes  another  entered;  then  another.  About 
that  time  the  same  personage  entered,  as  it  seemed  to  me,  whom  Job  re- 
cords as  appearing  among  the  sons  of  God.  Seated  at  my  side  he  com- 
menced a  colloquy:  —  '  This  is  beautiful,  isn't  it?  A  graduate  of  the 
college,  a  student  of  law,  a  student  of  theology,  carefully  preparing  an 
address  to  such  an  audience.'  For  a  moment  my  heart  yielded  to  his 
suggestions.  Then  the  better  spirit  came,  and  this  was  his  appeal  : 
'  Who  are  you  ?  A  brand  plucked  from  the  burning;  a  sinner  saved  by 
grace!  "What  if  God  has  sent  you  here  to-night  to  lead  one  of  those 
souls  to  the  Lamb  of  God_,  to  enter  into  covenant  with  God  and  at  length 
to  shine  among  the  stars  in  the  firmament  of  heaven  ?  Are  you  worthy 
of  the  honor  ?  '  Ashamed,  I  replied,  '  Lord  forgive.'  I  think  that  never 
since  that  night  have  I  been  troubled  or  elated  by  the  number  of  persons 
in  my  audience.  Laboring  in  this  sphere,  then  in  various  school-houses 
of  the  vicinity,  then  as  permanent  preacher  in  a  suburban  village,  I  was 
permitted  to  witness  the  power  of  the  Holy  Spirit  in  the  case  of  many  a 
precious  soul." 

3 


34  LITE   OF  EDWARD  NORMS   KIRK. 

At  the  close  of  his  senior  year,  August  1,  1825,  in  re- 
sponse to  an  invitation  of  the  Missionary  Society  in  the 
seminary,  he  delivered  an  address  remarkable  as  an  exhibi- 
tion of  his  missionary  spirit ;  and  still  more  so,  as  an  exposi- 
tion of  the  relations  borne  by  the  seminary  course  of  in- 
struction to  the  development  of  the  missionary  work  —  at 
that  time  but  poorly  appreciated  in  the  churches,  or  even 
among  the  clergy.  We  append  a  few  extracts  in  the  hope 
of  exciting  a  keener  sense  of  personal  responsibility  among 
those  to  whom  the  place  of  theological  instruction  is  only 
the  camp  of  drill,  every  movement  and  motive  of  which  is 
needed  for  the  broader  sphere  of  usefulness. 

"  My  Brethren,  —  We  have  met  in  circumstances  the  most  interest- 
ing, on  business  the  most  important.  We  have  the  prospect  of  heralding 
the  glorious  -news  of  salvation  to  perishing  men,  and  of  shining  with  stars 
of  a  great  magnitude  in  the  upper  firmament.  We  have  tasted  that 
liberty  is  sweet,  and  are  going  to  proclaim  it  to  the  captive  wherever 
found, — under  whatever  sun,  or  clime,  or  name.  We  have  felt  our 
hearts  expanding  with  a  benevolence  that  was  before  unknown  ;  a  be- 
nevolence which  neither  seas  nor  skies  can  bound,  which  casts  its  ex- 
panded arms  around  a  globe  perishing  in  sin,  and  embraces  in  its  calcula- 
tions the  evei-lasting  existence  of  its  objects.  We  have  met  to  consult 
for  man.  An  anxious  world  may  be  held  in  suspense  to  await  the  con- 
sultations of  a  cabinet;  but  it  is  no  enthusiasm  to  say  that  angels  regard 
with  interest  our  meeting.  The  decrees  of  kings  and  of  congresses  will 
pass  away;  the  day  is  coming,  in  which  the  lustre  of  the  diamond  shall 
be  lost;  and  in  that  day  the  consequences  of  feeling  here  implanted,  and 
knowledge  here  obtained,  may  be  entering  but  the  vestibule  of  their  im- 
mortality. We  have  met  to  give  increase  to  benevolence,  to  present 
before  us  a  picture  of  the  vast  moral  desolations  of  the  world,  that  these 
hearts  may  be  roused  and  fired  with  a  holy  zeal.  'T  is  here  we  come  to 
brush  off  that  rust  from  our  armor  which  cankering  ambition  may  have 
produced;  to  take,  as  it  were,  a  higher  flight;  to  assume  more  elevated 
ground,  and  prepare  for  more  efficient  action. 

"  This  is  not  romantic,  nor  unreal,  though  it  may  be  unrealized  by  us; 
and  I  mention  these  considerations,  not  for  the  sake  of  declamation,  but 
because  we  are  so  prone  to  undervalue  this  institution.  It  is  a  melan- 
choly fact,  that  we  lose  sight,  in  the  midst  of  our  studies  here,  of  the 
important  objects  for  which  we  came.  That  benevolence  and  that  love 
of  immortal  souls,  which  brought  us  here,  lose  their  fervor ;  there  is 
something  here  dampening ;  whether  essentially  attached  to  a  course  like 


PREPARATORY  EXPERIENCE.  35 

this  or  not,  is  not  the  question  for  us  to  dispose  of ;  we  have  to  do  with 
the  fact,  and,  if  possible,  to  remedy  it.  And  that  it  is  a  fact,  surely  no 
formal  proof  need  be  given  for  demonstration. 

"  I  appeal  to  individual  experience;  and  there  let  the  question  be 
settled.  Can  we  not  testify  that  we  have  come  here  with  little  or  no  de- 
sire to  become  acquainted  with  the  state  of  the  heathen  world?  No  love 
for  Zion,  no  longing  desires  for  the  extension  of  her  borders  ?  Brethren, 
these  things  ought  not  so  to  be.  If  we  forget  the  interests  of  Zion,  who 
is  to  be  concerned  for  her?  If  the  interests  of  the  missionary  cause  are 
not  to  devolve  on  us,  who  will  take  it  up?  And  do  we  not  feel  ashamed, 
when  we  think  that  the  church  is  looking  to  this  seminary  for  the  men 
who  are  to  lead  the  glorious  march?  —  whose  hearts  are  bleeding  (as 
she  supposes)  when  they  witness  the  desolations  of  Zion?  "  .  .  .  . 

"  We  notice  the  operation  of  two  causes  that  retard  or  entirely  prevent 
the  development  of  the  interest  that  missions  ought  to  awaken  in  us 
as  Christians.  The  one  is  the  mode  of  studying  pursued  here;  the  other, 
the  want  of  sufficient  reflection  on  the  subject.  Not  that  our  studies 
ought  to  be  undervalued  or  neglected ;  but  they  ought  to  be  kept  in  their 
proper  place. 

li  When  we  enter  this  seminary,  the  first  impression  we  receive,  from 
attending  lectures  and  societies,  from  intercourse  with  the  students,  from 
everything  around  us,  is  that  we  are  deficient  in  knowledge.  We  know 
that  we  are  deficient  in  piety,  and  perhaps  are  at  first  deeply  impressed 
with  the  fact;  but  this  is  gradually  lost  sight  of,  for  the  want  of  its  being 
presented  to  us  with  sufficient  distinctness.  Yet  just  such  beings  we  are 
as  constantly  to  need  this.  There  is  no  demand  for  eminent  piety.  If  a 
serious  deportment  is  maintained,  there  will  be  no  difficulty  in  standing 
respectably  ;  there  is  nothing  external  to  drive  us,  as  it  were,  to  grow  in 
grace.  But  go  where  you  will,  almost,  our  intellectual  deficiencies  are 
prominently  held  up  before  us;  we  are  called  upon  for  the  constant  dis- 
play of  knowledge  and  talents;  and  the  effect  of  this  is,  to  induce  a  kind 
of  feverish  excitement.  No  sooner  is  one  branch  of  study  disposed  of, 
than  another  and  another  comes  upon  the  mind,  until  at  last  the  balance 
is  totally  destroyed,  and  that  piety  which  we  at  first  deemed  so  essential, 
is  almost  lost  sight  of. 

"When  we  awake  in  the  morning,  the  first  thought  is  of  some  compo- 
sition to  be  written,  some  subject  to  be  studied.  The  regular  time  for 
devotional  exercises  comes  on,  but  a  hurried  performance  will  do  this 
time.  I  cannot  neglect  this  important  piece  of  business  now.  We  either 
drive  or  almost  sleep  through  it,  and  when  we  have  made  a  dull  petition, 
we  rise  with  indifference  from  the  throne  of  God,  and  rush  with  ardor  to 
the  throne  of  literature  ;  yes,  perhaps  of  ambition.  Instead  of  coming 
down  from  our  devotion  to  our  duties,  instead  of  guarding  our  every 
avenue  when  coming  to  our  books,  we  seem  to  rise  with  elasticity  from 


36  LIFE   OF  EDWARD  NORMS   KIRK. 

the  cold  performance  of  religious  duties  to  the  pursuit  of  knowledge. 
We  dash  heedlessly  into  the  midst  of  temptations  unguarded,  uncon- 
cerned, though  we  have  so  often  fallen  before,  to  the  injury  of  our 
souls."  .... 

"If  we  are  to  be  prepared  for  the  destinies  of  the  present  age,  we 
shall  be  men  of  enlarged  benevolence,  whose  sympathies  are  with  hu- 
manity wherever  found,  whose  prayers  and  whose  wrestlings  at  the 
throne  of  grace  are  more  frequently  on  behalf  of  Zion,  of  perishing 
men,  than  of  ourselves ;  —  men  who  are  ready  to  ply  every  instrument, 
to  support  every  institution,  to  seize  every  spring  of  action  that  can  pro- 
mote the  glory  of  God.  Men  remarkable  merely  for  talents  and  acquire- 
ments will  shine  in  the  ministry  of  the  present  age  ;  but  the  wants  of  a 
perishing  world,  and  the  providence  of  God,  are  about  to  make  a  de- 
mand (if  we  mistake  not)  for  a  galaxy  of  Brainards,  of  Martyns,  of 
Swartzes,  of  Boudinots,  —  I  was  going  to  say,  of  Peters  and  of  Pauls. 
Contracted  views  and  feelings  will  not  suit.  The  glories  of  the  Mil- 
lenial  Day  may  be  ushered  in  by  human  instruments;  but  it  will  not  be 
by  men  whose  desires  terminate  in  self." 

After  his  graduation  from  the  seminary,  he  did  not  at  once 
begin  the  active  duties  of  his  profession.  The  reasons  for 
this  delay  he  has  left  in  nis  own  words.  Under  date  of  No- 
vember 20,  1825,  we  find  the  following  record  :  — 

"  Instead  of  entering  the  ministry,  as  I  intended,  in  September,  I  have 
determined  to  study  another  year,  unless  something  should  occur  which 
I  do  not  now  foresee.  My  present  experience  is  what  I  desire  to  re- 
cord, that  I  may  look  at  it  hereafter  ;  for  if  I  ever  arrive  at  assurance, 
it  will  be  profitable  to  look  back  and  see  how  the  Lord  has  led  me.  Truly 
mine  has  thus  far  been  a  checkered  path.  The  most  prominent  feeling 
of  my  mind  at  this  time,  is  an  impression  of  my  defects  in  these  particu- 
lars,—  penitence,  a  sense  of  the  preciousness  of  Christ,  the  worth  of 
men's  souls,  clear  views  and  impressions  of  God's  attributes.  I  pant,  I 
long  to  know  something  of  God  in  Christ,  and  that  that  knowledge  should 
excite  the  proper  feelings  in  my  mind.  I  feel  a  great  deficiency  in  regard 
to  the  spirit  of  prayer,  and  faith  in  Christ.  I  do  not  feel  as  if  there  was 
a  reality  in  my  applications  to  Him  for  justification  and  sanctification.  ] 
have  lost  the  fervor  of  first  love  and  have  not  the  light  of  an  advanced 
saint.     In  God  is  my  trust." 

And  towards  the  close  of  his  career,  looking  back  over  his 
long  ministry,  he  thus  refers  to  this  fourth  year  of  study :  — 

"  For  the  sake  of  my  young  brethren,  I  would  record  two  facts  con- 
nected with  this  early  ministry  and  my  preparation  for  it.     One  day, 


PREPARATORY  EXPERIENCE.  37 

in  the  theological  seminary,  reading  one  of  Dr.  Chalmers's  sermons,  a 
feeling  of  utter  discouragement  came  over  me.  I  was  there  a  resident 
graduate,  having  the  entire  command  of  my  time ;  and  yet  I  could  not 
accomplish  the  task  required  of  me,  to  finish  the  composition  of  four  ser- 
mons in  twelve  months.  This  reading  of  Chalmers's  sermon  brought 
home  to  me  the  appalling  fact,  as  I  regarded  it,  that  I  never  could  write 
a  sermon  worthy  of  attention.  But  by  practice,  the  facility  of  composi- 
tion (such  as  it  is)  has  become  so  great,  that  when  the  outline  of  a  ser- 
mon is  made,  logically  arranging  the  subject,  I  have  written  many  a 
sermon  of  forty  minutes  in  three  and  a  half  hours. 

"  The  other  fact  to  which  I  allude  is,  that  I  found  much  aid  in  secur- 
ing comprehensiveness,  variety,  completeness,  and  adaptedness  (as  I 
thought)  to  my  preaching,  by  drawing  out  in  the  beginning  an  outline  on 
a  sheet  of  paper.  On  the  first  page  was  the  heading  Conviction  ;  under 
this  were  placed,  in  as  good  order  as  possible,  the  various  topics  in  the 
Bible  calculated  to  awaken  and  enlighten  the  conscience.  On  the  second 
page  was  the  heading  Conversion,  embracing  under  this  the  various  truths 
adapted  to  lead  the  soul  to  faith  in  Christ.  The  third  page  had  the 
heading  Sanctification,  covering  truths  adapted  to  promote  the  life  of  God 
in  the  soul.  The  fourth  page  ought  to  have  been  (perhaps  was)  Useful- 
ness—  Death  —  Eternity.  Under  the  guidings  of  this  outline,  each  par- 
ticular sermon  was  made  with  reference  to  the  existing  wants  of  the 
people." 

In  June,  1826,  Mr.  Kirk  appeared  before  the  Presbytery 
to  pass  his  examination  for  licensure.  True  to  the  unvary- 
ing custom  of  the  times,  the  candidate  brought  with  him  the 
"Popular  Sermon,"  as  it  was  called.  The  theme  was  "  Sim- 
eon's Prayer,"  Luke  ii.  29,  30.  The  sermon  was  delivered 
in  the  old  Scotch  Church  in  Cedar  Street,  New  York,  before 
an  audience  of  critics  who  pronounced  the  effort  "  good." 

The  black  coat  he  had  once  despised  became  him  well. 


CHAPTER   IV. 

EARLY   WORK  AS   A   PREACHER. 
1826-1828. 

At  the  close  of  his  preparatory  studies,  Mr.  Kirk  began 
his  ministry  as  an  agent  for  the  cause  of  missions,  under  the 
American  Board.  The  effect  of  this  work  was  at  the  same 
time  a  gain  and  a  loss,  so  he  afterwards  thought :  a  gain  of 
religious  impulse  and  the  power  of  communicating  that  im- 
pulse ;  and  a  loss  of  those  regular  habits  of  study  so  impor- 
tant to  an  early  pastorate.  To  a  certain  extent  this  loss  had 
been  more  than  compensated  for  during  his  fourth  year  in 
the  seminary. 

His  associate  in  this  work  was  the  young  and  afterwards 
distinguished  missionary,  Jonas  King.  Their  field  extended 
through  the  Middle  States,  South  Carolina,  Georgia,  and  Vir- 
ginia. It  was  no  work  like  that  of  an  agent  to-day.  The 
young  men  were  met  by  opposers  at  every  step.  It  was  a 
wholesome  discipline. 

In  no  better  way  can  we  discern  the  growth  of  piety  in 
the  church  than  by  watching  the  growth  of  the  missionary 
spirit.  Modern  missions  owe  their  birth  to  William  Cary,  a 
young  Baptist  minister  in  England.  It  was  less  than  a  cent- 
ury ago,  when,  in  reply  to  his  suggestion  of  this  topic  for  dis- 
cussion in  a  ministerial  gathering,  an  honored  father  in  the 
church  frowningly  said,  "  Young  man,  sit  down  ;  when  God 
pleases  to  convert  the  heathen  He  will  do  it  without  your  aid 
or  mine  ;  "  and  his  views  were  entertained  by  "  the  aged  and 
more  influential  ministers  generally." 

The  Rev.  Dr.  Anderson,  in  his  admirable  lectures  upon 


EARLY   WORK  AS   A   PREACHER.  39 

"  Foreign  Missions,"  refers  to  the  early  fathers  of  New  Eng- 
land, and  says :  "  Their  writings  show  that  training  the 
churches,  intelligent  and  pious  as  they  were,  for  the  work  of 
converting  the  heathen  world    scarcely  formed  any  part  of 

their  conceptions  of  pastoral  duty It  was  a  new  idea ; 

the  introduction  of  a  new  power  into  the  churches  of  our 
land."  The  same  high  authority  declares  that,  when  the 
Board  for  Missions  was  established,  "  a  general  vote  could 
not  have  been  obtained  "  from  the  churches  in  its  favor. 
This  was  in  1810. 

Human  agencies  have  wrought  out,  under  the  divine  bless- 
ing, a  great  change.  In  1826  there  were  but  two  societies 
in  our  country  engaged  in  the  work  of  foreign  missions,  — 
the  American  Board  and  the  Baptist  Missionary  Union. 
The  total  amount  contributed  by  the  Congregational  and 
Presbyterian  Churches  for  this  purpose,  in  1825,  —  these  two 
denominations  working  together  in  the  same  organization,  — 
did  not  amount  to  fifty-six  thousand  dollars,  against  more 
than  nine  hundred  and  seventy  thousand  dollars  given  yearly 
by  these  two  denominations  now.  Throughout  the  churches, 
sectional  and  national  jealousies  were  aroused  against  the 
cause.  "  What  kind  of  a  Board  is  this,  of  which  you  speak  ?  " 
was  sneeringly  asked ;  but  one  opposer  after  another  was 
speedily  silenced.  These  scoffing,  but  doubtless  honest,  men 
were  calling  forth  the  powers  of  the  young  speaker,  and  un- 
consciously forging  the  weapons  of  truth  for  valiant  use. 

It  is  not  necessary  to  pass  from  place  to  place  to  behold 
the  rising  of  the  tide  of  feeling  in  behalf  of  missions.  We 
seize  upon  one  dark  moment  and  its  result.  The  partici- 
pant shall  tell  his  own  story  :  — 

"Being  called,  at  the  close  of  my  fourth  year  in  the  seminary,  to  pre- 
pare a  sermon  on  the  subject  of  Foreign  Missions,  I  found  the  advantage 
of  having  a  definite  object  in  view.  Wrote  the  sermon  with  considerable 
ease;  but  unfortunately  I  overrated  its  value.  As  an  agent  of  the 
Board  of  Missions,  I  preached  it  from  town  to  town,  with  not  a  little 

surprise  that  no  one  seemed  capable  of  appreciating  it  but  myself 

Going  from  town  to  town,  conversing  everywhere  on  the  subject  of  mis- 
sions, I  found  the  majority  whom  I  met  to  be  either  indifferent  or  en- 


40  LIFE   OF  EDWARD  NORMS   KIRK. 

tirely  opposed  to  our  efforts  to  convert  the  heathen.  These  conversa- 
tions were  a  supplement  to  the  theological  seminary.  My  professors 
and  teachers  had  given  me  religious  truth  in  its  abstract  forms,  as  the 
deepest  thinkers  had  shaped  it.  This  was  all  very  well  as  a  foundation. 
But  it  was  all  Saul's  armor  when  I  met  Goliath  in  the  field.  I  found  the 
necessity  of  forging  my  own  weapons,  to  change  the  views  and  guide  the 
actions  of  the  individual  men  and  women  I  was  meeting  daily.  For 
months,  as  I  afterwards  found,  the  process  through  which  my  mind  was 
then  passing  was  this:  I  was  learning,  not  what  Calvin  and  Luther  and 
Voltaire  might  have  thought  about  missions,  but  what  John  Jones  and 
Mrs.  Williams  and  'the  common  people'  thought;  thus,  from  many  in- 
dividuals, learning  exactly  what  any  congregation  I  might  address  were 
thinking  of  when  I  should  rise  to  address  them;  also,  what  answers  were 
effectual  in  removing  objections  and  securing  their  hearty  cooperation. 
Thus  mind  and  heart  were  becoming  saturated  with  the  subject  of 
Foreign  Missions.  The  love  of  the  missionaries,  of  their  work,  and  in- 
terest in  every  new  school-house  erected  in  India,  in  every  convert  in 
Burmah,  and  every  inquirer  in  Hawaii,  was  growing  daily.  The  heart, 
the  mind,  the  tongue,  were  gaining  the  munitions  of  war. 

"  On  one  occasion  I  made  an  engagement  with  the  Rev.  Mr.  K.,  of 
Flemington,  New  Jersey,  to  address  his  people  on  the  subject.  But  as 
the  topic  was  so  unpopular,  and  knowing  the  feelings  of  his  people, 
courtesy  to  me  mainly  induc&l  him  to  make  the  appointment,  and  on  a 
secular  day.  Thursday  afternoon  was  the  time  selected.  I  was  there 
promptly,  and  he  was  there;  and  we  alone  were  there.  Ashamed  for 
his  people,  he  remarked,  'This  is  too  bad;  you  shall  have  the  pulpit  on 
Sunday.  Come  here  on  Sunday  morning  next.'  I  was  there;  and,  on 
entering  the  churchyard,  he  introduced  me  to  Dr.  A.  The  doctor  im- 
mediately attacked  me.  Two  of  his  bullets  I  preserved.  They  are 
these:  'Charity  begins  at  home,'  and  'I  don't  believe  in  giving  my 
money  to  the  Yankees. ' 

"  You  may  imagine  some  of  the  feelings  with  which  I,  an  unfledged 
preacher,  ascended  the  pulpit.  Turning  to  the  pastor,  I  inquired,  '  Is 
this  a  specimen  of  the  feeling  of  your  people?'  '  I  think  it  is,'  here- 
plied.  It  stirs  my  blood  at  this  day,  to  recall  my  position  at  that 
moment.  My  mind  passed  rapidly  through  a  great  debate,  which  had 
to  reach  its  practical  conclusion  in  twenty  minutes,  while  having  the 
opening  services  to  perform.  The  question  was,  Shall  I  preach  my 
splendid  sermon?  Its  utter  inappropriateness,  its  totally  abstract  views 
of  my  subject,  its  utter  remoteness  from  all  the  thoughts  my  audience 
then  had,  or  ever  had,  flashed  upon  me.  Almost  with  tears  I  parted 
with  my  old  friend,  pressed  it  into  my  pocket,  and  consigned  it  to  the 
tomb  of  the  Capulets.  The  next  question  was,  Dare  I  venture  to 
launch  forth  in  an  extemporaneous  address,  without  the  least  method  ? 


EARLY  WORK  AS   A  PREACHER.  41 

"Providence  answered  the  question  for  me,  and  seemed  to  say:  Let 
the  preacher  and  his  reputation  go.  Play  the  man,  to  attack  these  Go- 
liaths  of  unbelief.  Put  fire  into  these  dead  hearts.  Leave  not  a  man  or 
a  -woman  of  them  hostile  and  indifferent  to  the  sacred  cause  of  evangeliz- 
ing the  pagans.' 

"I  arose,  calm  in  the  assurance  that  the  Lord  of  Missions  was  with  me, 
firm  in  the  conviction  that  I  was  the  advocate  of  truth,  affectionately 
desirous  that  the  people  should  leave  the  narrow  circle  of  their  selfish 
prejudices,  and  earnest  in  the  purpose  to  bring  every  hand  in  that  house 
to  sign  my  subscription  paper. 

"My  first  step  was  a  dash  on  the  flank  of  the  objectors.  Having  raked 
the  country  like  a  scavenger,  to  gather  together  all  the  naughty  things 
spoken  against  the  sacred  cause,  I  probably  surprised  the  audience  by 
showing  each  of  them  more,  if  not  weightier,  objections  than  had  ever 
entered  his  mind.  Be  sure  that  the  distance  between  the  pulpit  and  the 
pews  was  now  annihilated.  It  was  a  hand  to  hand  contest.  Every  soul 
felt  the  grapple. 

"My  weapons  were  no  unproved  mitrailleuses;  every  one  had  been 
tested;  every  stone  in  the  bag  had  slain  its  Goliath.  The  arrow  that 
kills  in  the  parlor  is  equally  effective  in  the  pew.  A  congregation  of 
hearers  is  only  an  amassing  of  the  John  Joneses  and  the  Mrs.  Williamses 
of  every  community.  The  pulpit  has  one  advantage  over  the  parlor;  the 
speaker  cannot  be  interrupted.  It  has  one  disadvantage,  —  the  speaker 
may  be  shooting  over  or  aside  of  his  mark.  But  in  the  present  case,  Mr. 
Jones  and  Mrs.  Williams  had  had  their  turn,  and  the  speaker  knew  what 
they  would  say.  Another  point  should  be  mentioned.  Having  heard  it 
said,  I  know  not  with  what  truth,  that  Patrick  Henry,  when  pleading  in 
court,  used  to  fix  on  one  juror,  and  direct  the  whole  force  of  his  battery 
at  him,  until  that  man's  countenance  expressed  conviction  (thus  he  took 
them  and  conquered  them  man  by  man),  I  acted  on  the  hint. 

"  The  narrations  of  infanticide  and  other  horrible  customs  of  the 
Sandwich  Islands  had  just  been  reported  to  us  by  our  missionaries.  I 
observed  the  expression  of  incredulity  on  countenances  as  they  were 
mentioned.  Having,  as  before  observed,  tested  my  replies  to  objections, 
and  proved  their  efficacy,  I  would  fix  my  eye  on  one  sneering  face  in  the 
audience  and  press  tried  answers  until  that  countenance  changed  its  ex- 
pression. I  speak  of  it  as  nothing  personal  or  peculiar,  but,  as  it  appears 
to  me,  a  personal  testing  of  some  of  the  true  principles  of  rhetoric,  which 
may  be  useful  to  my  younger  brethren.  The  mind  was  stored  with  the 
subject,  one  embracing  many  collateral  topics  of  interest,  —  ethnology, 
history,  geography,  lofty  specimens  of  self-sacrifice  and  devotion  to 
Christ,  thrilling  exhibitions  of  immortal  souls,  under  the  influence  of  the 
Holy  Spirit,  emerging  from  heathenish  darkness  into  the  glorious  light  of 
the  gospel.     The  heart  was  full  of  sympathy  with  every  feature  and 


42  LIFE   OF  EDWARD  NORMS   KIRK. 

branch  of  the  subject,  of  antagonism  to  its  opponents,  of  zeal  for  its  suc- 
cess, of  determination  to  make  every  hearer  share  this  sympathy  and 
zeal. 

"  The  sermon  finished,  an  invitation  was  given  to  the  people  to  come 
before  the  pulpit  and  subscribe  to  the  missionary  fund.  The  first  man 
that  came  was  the  unwilling  Dr.  A.     The  rest  followed  like  sbeep. 

"  There  I  learned  the  efficacy  of  extemporaneous  speaking  and  dis- 
covered its  elements  :  a  full  mind,  a  glowing  heart,  a  relentless  purpose 
to  secure  practical  results." 

Upon  another  occasion  his  aptness  at  extemporaneous  dis- 
course was  illustrated  in  an  amusing  way.  We  insert  the  ac- 
count here,  notwithstanding  its  irregularity  as  to  time. 

He  was  spending  a  few  weeks  at  the  Montgomery  Springs 
in  Virginia.  This  was  three  or  four  years  before  the  civil 
war.  Having  attended  a  Presbyterian  church  one  Sabbath 
morning,  he  made  an  acquaintance  with  the  preacher  at  the 
close  of  the  services,  commenting,  as  was  his  wont,  in  critical 
and  suggestive  remarks  upon  the  theme  of  the  morning.  It 
being  a  day  of  remarkable  clearness,  the  two,  having  left  the 
church,  slowly  ascended  a  hill  to  its  summit. 

Just  below  them  a  little  company  was  forming,  chiefly  of 
colored  people,  or,  as  they  were  then  called,  "  slaves."  Their 
numbers  were  constantly  enlarged  by  the  approach  of  persons 
from  all  directions,  the  later  arrivals  being  visitors  at  the 
springs.  Upon  inquiry,  it  was  learned  that  a  young  colored 
preacher  was  there  to  deliver  his  first  sermon.  It  is  needless 
to  say  that  in  his  congregation  the  young  Boanerges  had 
these  two  sharp,  theological  critics.  The  preliminaries  be- 
ing over,  he  began  by  announcing  this  rather  doleful  subject 
for  his  first  sermon,  "  The  wages  of  sin  is  death."  It  was 
hard  work.  The  perspiration  rolled  down  his  face.  The 
lack  of  thought  was  supplied  by  sound,  and  a  great  sound  it 
was.  Perhaps  the  reader  has  known  of  some  similar  case, 
and  can  fill  out  the  scene. 

When  he  had  ceased,  there  was  a  great  calm  :  a  calm  like 
that  of  faintness  ;  for  his  audience  had  obtained  no  substan- 
tial food  from  the  discourse.  Rather  chagrined  at  the  failure 
of  his  young  brother,  an  aged  colored  preacher  arose,  and 


EARLY   WORK  AS   A  PREACHER.  43 

with  good  acceptance  spoke  upon  the  theme  for  a  few  min 
utes.  Hardly  had  he  taken  his  seat,  when  there  was  a  stir 
in  the  direction  of  the  critics'  position.  There  was  now  an- 
other volunteer.  Dr.  Kirk  arose,  and,  having  politely  re- 
quested permission  to  address  the  audience,  went  forward  to 
the  preacher's  stand.  Quickly  and  firmly,  as  always,  he 
took  his  position.  A  light  was  now  about  to  be  thrown  upon 
the  subject,  his  very  presence  being  sufficient  to  engage  atten- 
tion. They  awaited  his  opening  words.  Now  let  it  here  be 
said  that  the  majority  of  those  present  were  the  aristocrats 
of  the  South.  They  listened,  too.  He  began  thus,  — 
"  Any  honest  man  will  pay  wages  for  honest  work." 

It  is  said  that,  in  moments  of  severe  mental  pressure,  a 
multiplicity  of  thoughts  pass  through  the  mind  in  an  instant. 
Thoughts  like  these  confronted  the  speaker :  "  I  am  known 
as  an  abolitionist ;  I  am  speaking  to  a  large  number  of  slave- 
holders. The  life  of  one  like  myself  is  not  worth  much  here. 
I  have  blundered.  I  have  said,  '  Any  honest  man  will  pay 
wages  for  honest  work.'  "  But  if  the  mind  is  quick  to  dis- 
cover a  mistake,  it  is  as  quick  to  invent  a  way  of  escape. 
The  escape  was  planned.  There  was  no  break,  no  hesitation 
in  all  this.  He  stood  before  them  undisturbed  outwardly ; 
and  thus  supplemented  and  explained  to  the  Southern  audi- 
ence that  dangerous  sentence  ;  "  that  is,  if  your  master," 
addressing  the  objects  of  his  life's  sympathies,  "  should  send 
you  to  another  master  to  do  a  piece  of  work,  that  master 
would  give  your  owner  wages  for  all  the  work  you  should 
do."  There  being  no  further  obstacles  in  the  way,  he  de- 
clared the  truths  which  had  been  so  blunderingly  expounded, 
and,  with  the  close  of  his  remai'ks,  the  company  dispersed. 

This  incident  well  illustrates  wherein  lay  the  almost  magic 
of  his  oratory.  He  was  skilled  in  handling  men  ;  measured 
them  in  a  moment ;  and  adapted  the  truth  to  the  circum- 
stances of  the  time  ;  not  as  a  sycophant ;  not  as  a  time-server ; 
but  becoming  all  things  to  all  men  in  a  right  sense,  like  the 
great  apostle  he  accomplished  the  object  of  his  mission. 

In  extemporaneous  discourse,  after  his  first  triumph  in  it, 


44  LIFE   OF  EDWARD   NORMS   KIRK. 

he  was  always  at  home ;  although  in  later  life  he  gave  it  up 
almost  entirely.  As  the  teaching  of  his  experience,  he  has 
summed  up  the  three  following  conditions  as  indispensable 
to  every  unwritten  sermon.  First,  the  speaker  must  be 
filled  with  his  subject ;  second,  the  audience  must  have  sym- 
pathy with  the  speaker  ;  third,  this  sympathy  must  be  mut- 
ual. 

Mr.  Kirk  concluded  his  labors  in  the  service  of  missions  in 
the  month  of  May,  1828.  The  influence  of  his  associate, 
Jonas  King,  upon  his  character  was  ever  after  referred  to. 
The  following  letter  exhibits  an  affection  which  was  never 
broken :  — 

"New  York,  May  10,  1828. 

"  My  dear  brother  King,  —  It  is  with  much  reluctance  that  I  have 
come  to  the  conclusion  of  leaving  the  city  without  seeing  you  again.  All 
the  remarkably  interesting  occurrences  of  the  past  four  months,  are  and 
will  be  associated  in  my  mind,  with  the  recollections  of  yourself.  You 
have  been  to  me  the  instrument  of  more  benefit  than  you  are  probably 
aware  of.  I  bless  the  Lord,  '  who  without  doubt  sent  you  to  me  ; '  and  I 
thank  you.  But  now  you  go,  and  I  shall  see  your  face  no  more  —  per- 
haps forever.  That  you  will  present  my  wants  in  your  prayers  to  God,  I 
have  no  doubt.  That  I  shall  remember  you,  I  think,  is  certain.  That 
we  shall  meet  again,  and  at  the  feet  of  our  glorified  Redeemer,  I  earnestly 
pray. 

"I  would  have  made  all  my  own  wishes  and  plans  yield  to  the  one 
object  of  waiting  until  I  saw  you.  But  Providence  has  devolved  upon  me 
the  pleasant  task  of  nursing  the  companion  of  my  childhood,  James  Alex- 
ander ;  and  he  is  desirous  of  leaving  the  city  immediately,  to  visit  New 
Haven,  Boston,  and  Albany. 

"  I  have  drawn  up  a  report  of  our  proceedings  and  the  result  of  our 
efforts  in  the  southern  cities.  I  have  left  it  with  Mr.  Lord,  for  you  to 
revise  and  alter,  amend  or  destroy,  as  shall  seem  to  your  judgment  most 
proper.  Fraternally  yours,  "  etc. 

In  the  month  of  May,  1828,  Mr.  Kirk  was  invited  by  the 
Rev.  Dr.  Chester,  pastor  of  the  Second  Presbyterian  Church 
in  Albany,  to  become  his  colleague.  He  was  not  prepared 
for  this,  but  consented  to  occupy  the  pulpit  during  the  sum- 
mer, as  the  doctor  was  obliged  to  intermit  his  pastoral  labors 
to  seek  for  health.     Dr.  Chester  was  a  kind,  large-hearted 


EARLY   WORK  AS  A  PREACHER.  45 

man,  gathering  around  him  some  earnest  Christians ;  but 
also  some  men  of  talent  and  wealth  who  loved  the  man,  but 
had  learned  to  parry  the  thrusts  of  the  preacher. 

The  Second  Church  was  at  this  period  the  most  prominent 
church  in  the  city,  drawing  into  its  congregation  many  of 
the  families  most  distinguished  in  fashionable  life.  Several 
of  the  most  eminent  lawyers,  merchants,  and  statesmen  of 
the  day  were  habitual  attendants  upon  the  Sabbath  services. 
Among  these  were  the  Hon.  Martin  Van  Buren,  at  that  time 
and  for  years  after  the  ruling  politician  of  the  State,  and 
subsequently  president  of  the  United  States ;  the  Hon.  Wil- 
liam L.  Marcy,  then  comptroller  of  New  York,  afterwards 
United  States  senator,  governor  of  the  State,  secretary  of 
war,  and  secretary  of  state  ;  Chief  Justice  Savage ;  Chan- 
cellor Walworth,  honored  alike  in  church  and  state ;  the 
Hon.  Benjamin  F.  Butler,  afterwards  attorney-general  of  the 
United  States.  Such  men  as  these  would  call  into  their  fel- 
lowship the  young  men  of  rising  prominence,  and  keep  for 
the  organization  the  position  it  had  gained.  This  church 
embraced  the  New  England  families  in  the  city,  as  its  foun- 
dations were  laid  by  them. 

It  was  to  such  a  congregation  the  young  preacher  minis- 
tered. The  audiences  immediately  grew  larger.  There  was 
every  token  of  a  successful  career.  The  gospel  was  pro- 
claimed in  all  its  fullness.  It  was  like  the  spirit  of  Massillon 
in  the  palace  of  Versailles,  before  his  monarch,  Louis  XIV. 
"Sire,"  said  the  great  preacher,  "the  gospel  speaks  not  as^ 
the  world  speaks."  It  was  like  the  reply  of  Madame  De 
Stael  to  Napoleon  through  Joseph,  when  he  offered  her 
$400,000  to  say  nothing  against  him  :  "  The  question  is  not/  ^ 
what  I  want,  but  ivhat  I  think." 

With  a  courtesy  unbounded,  the  young  preacher  declared 
the  truth  as  it  was  revealed  to  him.  He  was  engaged  in  the 
work  of  another  than  man.  He  was  invited  and  urged  to 
"  tone  down "  the  doctrines,  to  "  beware  of  offending  the 
tastes  "  of  the  congregation.  But  with  the  purest  delicacy 
he  kept  on  his  way.     The  tide  of  his  popularity  was  becom- 


46  LIFE   OF  EDWARD   NORMS   KIRK. 

ing  ruffled.  Ominous  clouds  were  rising,  but  he  heeded 
them  not.  A  cup  was  preparing  which  he  must  drink,  —  a 
cup  of  blessing,  yet  bitter  to  the  taste. 

We  open  his  "  closet  reflections,"  penned  during  this  im- 
portant period  of  his  life  :  — 

"June  21,  1828.  —  I  have  just  received  an  invitation  from  a  church  in 
Boston  (the  Salem  Church)  to  become  their  associate  pastor  until  Dr. 
Edwards  is  able  to  resume  his  labors.  It  places  me  in  a  very  trying  and 
unpleasant  situation.  I  feel  that  I  need  much  of  the  illuminating  influ- 
ence of  the  Holy  Spirit,  to  show  me  what  are  correct  principles  and  how 
they  apply  to  the  circumstances  of  the  case  ;  much  of  his  sacred  influ- 
ence, to  suppress  every  unhallowed  passion  which  may  be  appealed  to, 
and  to  invigorate  and  quicken  those  holy  feelings  and  that  sense  of  re- 
sponsibility which  must  be  in  lively  exercise  in  order  to  give  so  momen- 
tous a  question  a  sufficiently  solemn,  prayerful,  and  careful  investigation. 
I  have  no  doubt  that  God  often  places  his  people  in  such  circumstances 
for  the  purpose  of  trying  them,  to  ascertain  (or  rather  to  show  them)  on 
what  principles  they  will  act,  and  whether  they  will  sufficiently  feel  their 
dependence  on  Him.  I  see  in  myself  an  unfitness  for  making  the  impor- 
tant decision.  I  see  the  propriety  of  the  exhortation,  '  Lean  not  to  thine 
own  understanding.'  I  see  that  mine  is  limited  ;  not  having  a  clear 
discernment  of  principles,  nor  of  their  application  to  the  circumstances 
of  this  case.  I  see  how  easy  it  is  for  my  understanding  to  be  biased 
by  feelings  which  ought  not  to  operate,  and  I  see  how  far  destitute  I 
am  of  many  of  those  feelings  which  are  necessary  in  order  to  secure 
a  proper  consideration  of  it.  There  is  wisdom  and  propriety  and  kind- 
ness in  the^exhortation  connected  with  the  above  (Prov.  iii.  5,  6,  7). 
'  Trust  in  the  Lord  with  all  thy  heart,'  and  '  In  all  thy  ways,  acknowl- 
edge Him,  and  He  shall  direct  thy  paths.  Be  not  wise  in  thine  own 
eyes.'  For  God  is  able  to  direct ;  with  Him  is  wisdom,  and  He  has  said, 
'  I£  any  man  lack  wisdom,  let  him  ask  of  God,  who  giveth  liberally  and 
upbraideth  not.'  These  are  the  important  considerations,  to  balance 
which  forms  the  difficulty  in  my  mind. 

"First,  if  I  go  to  Boston,  I  shall  leave  a  people  very  much  in  the  same 
situation  with  those  to  whom  I  am  going  ;  or  rather,  more  necessitous, 
because  Boston  contains  some  of  the  greatest  ministerial  talent,  while  in 
Albany  there  is  not  now  one  Presbyterian  minister ;  I  shall  violate  the 
feelings  of  a  people  just  gratified  by  my  consenting  to  remain  with  them, 
and  possibly  shall  leave  them  to  divisions  which  showed  themselves  last 
year,  but  are  now  healed  ;  and  the  most  powerful  (and,  as  far  as  I  now 
see,  the  conclusive)  consideration  on  this  side  is,  that  I  am  neither  in 
body  nor  in  mind  qualified  for  the  station  to  which  I  am  called.     On  tho 


EARLY  WORK  AS   A  PREACHER.  47 

other  hand,  I  shall  there  stand  by  the  side  and  act  under  the  direction  of 
some  of  the  best  men  in  the  world  ;  and  I  shall  be  in  a  situation  (I  pre- 
sume) the  most  favorable  for  a  full  development  of  my  powers,  and  the 
increase  of  piety,  of  any  in  our  country. 

"  Second,  if  I  remain  in  Albany,  I  shall  act  against  the  judgment  of 
some  men  whose  judgments  I  esteem  the  most  highly.  And  on  the  other 
hand,  I  shall  probably  be  able  to  exert  a  more  extensive  and  more  im- 
portant influence  here  than  I  could  in  Boston. 

"So  that  my  present  inclination  is  to  Albany;  while  to  remain  here 
will  be  making  a  very  great  sacrifice.  May  the  Lord  so  guide  and  in- 
fluence me  that  I  shall  rejoice  through  eternity  in  the  decision  I  now 
make."   .... 

July  10th.  —  "I  have  made  the  important  decision  in  regard  to  my 
present,  and,  for  some  time,  future  course.  I  have  determined  to  remain 
in  Albany,  because  the  providence  of  God  has  in  a  peculiar  manner  led 
me  here,  and  opened  a  door  of  usefulness.  The  only  peculiar  consider- 
ation which  urged  me  to  go  to  Boston  is  the  prospect  of  a  great  improve- 
ment. This  I  feel  bound  to  sacrifice  at  what  I  deem  the  call  of  my  Re- 
deemer. And  now,  Lord,  give  me  grace  to  be  faithful  here.  This  is  a 
spot  on  which  others  before  me  have  fallen.  Lord  Jesus,  the  Shep- 
herd and  Bishop  of  souls,  I  fly  unto  Thee.  Oh,  guard  me  and  defend  me 
from  foes  without  and  within.  Make  me  meek,  humble,  watchful, 
prayerful.  Then  shall  I  stand  in  the  strength  of  God.  But  there  is  a 
great  work  to  be  accomplished  in  Albany.  The  Lord  works  by  whom  He 
will  work;  and  my  duty  is  to  occupy  my  post  with  my  eye  directed  to- 
wards Him." 

In  page  after  page  of  a  "  Theme  for  Meditation,"  the 
twenty-fifth  Psalm  is  applied  in  the  most  personal  manner. 
In  view  of  what  was  about  to  come  upon  the  young  preacher, 
we  transcribe  a  part :  — 

"  The  Psalmist  knew  how  God  could  be  just,  and  yet  justifying  acquit, 
or  pardon  the  sinner:  he  knew  what  argument  to  take  with  Him.  What 
is  it  ?  '  Lord  pardon  my  iniquities,  for  they  are  very  few  and  trifling 
and  arising  from  my  natural  infirmities,  and  counter-balanced  by  my  sin- 
cerity and  my  good  intentions  and  my  general  goodness,' — is  that  the 
Psalmist's  plea  and  ground  of  hope?  No!  no!  no!  If  this  were  so,  I 
would  shut  my  Bible,  leave  the  society  of  man,  and  go  away  like  the 
stricken  deer,  to  pine  and  die.  Oh,  ye  moralists,  how  ye  would  sap  the 
energy  of  hope  in  my  breast !  How  unsympathizing  is  your  spirit  and 
your  system.  I  ask  what  I  must  do  to  be  saved  :  you  tell  me,  'Put  on 
the  filthy  rags  of  your  own  righteousness,  and  go  up  before  the  throne  of 
the  Eternal  with  a  long  catalogue  of  your  good  deeds,  and  a  demon- 


48  LIFE   OF  EDWARD   NORRIS   KIRK. 

stration  of  the  goodness  of  your  intentions  and  the  sincerity  of  your 
heart ;  and  there,  like  the  Pharisee,  thank  God  for  it,  and  tell  Him 
of  the  poor  publicans  around  you;  because  you  are  certainly  better 
than  thousands  of  poor  wretches  in  your  city.  You  are  a  respectable, 
popular  preacher  of  the  gospel.'  Oh,  stop  this  jargon;  it  grates  upon 
my  ear.  I  call  God  to  witness  that  it  is  not  my  creed,  but  my  inmost 
soul  that  shrinks  from  this.  Oh,  blessed  be  God  that  I  am  sitting  with 
an  open  Bible  before  me;  that  the  Holy  Spirit  teaches  my  lisping 
tongue  to  pray.  I  know  the  Spirit  indites  it.  The  pride,  nor  the 
wisdom  of  man,  nor  the  malice  of  devils,  could  indite  such  a  prayer.  It 
is  unearthly.  It  breathes  neither  of  the  spirit  of  the  schools  nor  of  the 
streets.  It  vibrates  upon  the  inmost  fibres  of  my  soul.  It  pours  a  flood 
of  light  and  hope  upon  the  darkness  of  my  mind.  It  seems  to  address 
the  whole  '  inner  man.'  It  enlightens  the  understanding,  convinces  the 
judgment,  melts  the  heart,  subdues  fear,  elevates  hope,  and  brings  a  kind 
of  regeneration  to  the  soul.  This  may  be  called  extravagance.  But 
never  did  a  sentence  condense  such  a  mass  of  moral  suasion  and  instruc- 
tion and  consolation  before  my  mind  as  this,  —  '  Pardon  mine  iniquity, 
for  thy  name's  sake,  O  Lord  ;  for  it  is  great.'  Here  is  a  system  of  logic. 
Here  is  the  hope  of  heaven.  Here  is  the  logic  which  will  command  the 
admiration  of  the  universe  in  the  Day  of  Judgment.  '  Pardon  mine 
iniquity,  O  Lord,  for  thy  name's  sake;  for  my  sins  are  great.'  The 
point  at  issue  is  the  pardon  of  sins.  The  throne  is  set.  The  Lord, 
clothed  in  the  simple  habit  of  majesty,  and  surrounded  by  the  effulgence 
of  glory,  arraigns  the  culprit.  The  appeal  is  made,  —  '  Guilty  or  not 
guilty?'  Answer:  'Guilty.'  'What  have  you  to  say  why  sentence 
should  not  be  executed  against  you?  '  Answer  :  '  I  have  two  reasons.' 
'  State  them.'  '  My  iniquities  are  great,  and  Thou  hast  a  great  name 
for  pardoning  sinners. '  '  But  how  do  these  arguments  bear  upon  the 
case?'  '  My  sins  are  so  numerous  and  aggravated,  so  black  and  vile, 
that  I  am  driven  out  of  myself  to  seek  for  pardon  on  some  other  ground 
than  what  I  am,  what  I  have  done,  or  what  I  can  do.  Seeing  tins,  the 
wretchedness  of  my  condition,  and  having  heard  that  there  was  a  way 
in  which  thy  mercy  prevails  for  the  pardon  of  sins,  and  led  by  the 
spirit  of  thy  grace,  I  have  laid  hold  upon  the  proposed  terms  ;  I  have 
sealed  the  covenant  and  subscribed  my  name  to  it.  And  now,  for  thy 
name's  sake, —  for  the  sake  of  that  great  name  which  Thou  hast  gotten 
as  the  merciful  God  ;  as  God  taking  no  pleasure  in  the  death  of  the  sin- 
ner; as  the  faithful  I  AM,  my  Creator  and  Judge  and  Redeemer  ;  as 
the  God  of  grace;  I  appeal  to  Tliee.  There  is  a  price  to  pay  the  debt 
of  Justice;  there  is  a  Victim  whom  Thou  didst  provide.  I  lay  m\ 
hands  upon  his  head,  and  urge  my  argument.'  '  Sinner,  thou  hast  pre- 
vailed.' And  the  echoing  heavens  will  ring  it  back  again  :  '  The  sinner 
has  prevailed.'  " 


EARLY   WORK  AS   A  PREACHER.  49 

We  pass  outward  to  the  scene  of  conflict.  The  skies 
were  growing  black.  The  cup  was  filled  with  the  mixture  ; 
yet  the  preacher  in  the  pulpit  gave  no  signs  of  faltering. 
The  magnates  of  Albany  looked  askance  Sabbath  after  Sab- 
bath, while  with  uncompromising  boldness  he  performed  his 
errand. 

The  steamboat  Dewitt  Clinton  was  then  building.  The 
hammers  went  all  the  Sabbath.  The  young  preacher  told 
his  audience  from  the  pulpit  that  they  would  soon  be  where 
they  could  not  build  steamboats  on  Sunday.  Martin  Van 
Buren,  as  we  have  seen,  was  among  his  hearers.  He  heard 
a  sermon  on  the  Judgment  Day,  in  which  the  preacher 
described  the  grandeur  of  the  scene,  but  said,  "  You  will 
have  nothing  to  do  with  the  sublime  tapestry  of  the  judg- 
ment hall,  or  with  the  magnificence  of  the  spectacle  ;  you 
will  see  only  the  Judge,  and  answer  Him  for  the  deeds  done 
in  the  body."  The  future  president  remarked  to  a  friend 
soon  after,  "  I  am  accustomed,  when  men  are  preaching,  to 
occupy  my  mind  with  my  political  schemes  ;  but  politics 
appeared  to  me  very  folly  that  day.  I  had  to  hear  the 
preacher." 

A  pious  lady  who  knew  the  audience  remarked,  "  Often, 
under  this  preaching,  I  could  get  no  relief  to  my  feelings,  — 
of  joy  that  the  truth  was  so  preached,  and  of  dread  of  its 
effects  on  the  hearers,  —  except  by  clinching  the  back  of 
the  pew  before  me,  so  steadying  my  nerves.  It  seemed  to 
me  that  I  could  hear  the  very  flooring  of  the  church  crack- 
ing, as  if  torn  up  from  end  to  end." 

The  audience  was  increasing  ;  the  feeling  was  rising  ;  and 
it  was  becoming  evident  to  the  worldly  men  who  had  been 
accustomed  to  rule  the  church,  that  this  must  be  stopped. 
The  reasons  for  their  feeling  they  did  not  give  ;  but  the 
course  they  took  was  to  send  to  the  young  preacher  whom 
they  had  invited  to  occupy  their  pulpit  for  an  indefinite  pe- 
riod, and  politely  to  inform  him  that  they  wished  he  would 
make  some  modifications  in  his  preaching.  They  summoned 
him  one  morning   to  meet  them  immediately  at  the  office 

4 


50  LIFE   OF  EDWARD   NORRIS   KIRK. 

of  Benjamin  F.  Butler.  He  went,  and  found  ten  or  twelve 
gentlemen  awaiting  him.  Mr.  Butler  opened  the  subject, 
very  courteously,  stating  that  while  he  was  much  pleased 
with  the  preaching,  objecting  only  to  the  length  of  the  ser- 
mons, there  was  unfortunately  a  division  of  feeling  in  the 
society.  Their  pastor  was  absent  and  ill.  He  thought  it 
might  be  well  for  Mr.  Kirk  to  retire  for  a  time. 

When  he  had  finished,  Mr.  Kirk  remarked,  "  Gentlemen, 
I  have  not  sought  this  post ;  I  am  here  by  the  urgent  request 
of  your  beloved  pastor.  More  than  that,  I  think  I  am  here 
by  the  will  of  God.  I  am  accustomed  to  seek  his  guidance 
in  everything.  I  am  aware  of  the  effects  of  my  preaching, 
and  that  many  earnestly  desire  me  to  continue  here.  I 
have  no  choice  in  the  matter.  But  it  seems  to  me  we 
should  not  enter  upon  this  conference  without  seeking  that 
wisdom  and  guidance  which  are  indispensable  always,  but 
especially  in  such  circumstances.  Mr.  Butler,  will  you  lead 
us  in  prayer  ?  " 

Referring  at  a  later  period  to  this  event,  Dr.  Kirk  said,  "  I 
have  never  been  in  a  besieged  city  ;  but  I  can  conceive  how 
people  act  when  the  ceiling  opens  and  a  bomb-shell1  strikes 
the  floor.  The  appearance  of  those  gentlemen  was  literally 
comical.  Their  manner  seemed  to  say,  '  What !  prayer  in  a 
lawyer's  office  in  State  Street,  at  nine  o'clock  in  the  morn- 
ing ?  The  thing  is  right  ;  but  if  anybody  should  come 
in  it  would  seem  very  queer.  To  be  sure,  it  is  the  King's 
business,  but  it  will  not  do  to  have  Him  take  part  in  it.' ' 

There  was  a  bustling  of  the  chairs;  the  old  curtain,  as  it 
had  remained  undisturbed  for  many  a  day,  and  was  at  best 
able  but  half  to  conceal  the  scene,  was  adjusted  to  do  what 
it  could.  The  office  of  prayer  was  referred  back  to  Mr. 
Kirk,  and  with  childlike  simplicity  he  asked  the  Father 
what  his  will  was  in  the  case.  The  next  morning,  while 
he  was  at  breakfast,  one  of  the  elders  waited  on  him,  and 
handed  him  the  stipulated  wages,  with  the  information  that 
the  Second  Church  would  now  dispense  with  his  services. 


EARLY  WORK  AS   A  PREACHER.  51 

"  To  that  day,"  he  writes,  "  it  had  pleased  God  to  make  my  ministry 
an  ovation.  Welcomed  wherever  I  went,  sent  for  in  various  directions, 
listened  to  with  the  most  respectful  attention,  caressed,  even  nattered,  — 
the  poison  had  undoubtedly  entered  my  soul.  My  good  Physician  knew 
it,  and  the  nauseous  drug  He  gave  me  to  counteract  it  was  that  message. 
I  took  my  little  Testament  immediately,  retreated  to  the  woods,  and 
spent  the  day  with  God.  What  passed  between  my  soul  and  my 
Saviour,  He  knows.  All  day  I  remained  bewildered  with  the  blow, 
but  submissive  to  the  unseen  hand  that  inflicted  it.  I  returned  home  in 
the  evening,  prepared  to  leave  the  city  in  the  morning.  To  my  aston- 
ishment, however,  a  company  of  gentlemen  waited  on  me  in  the  morn- 
ing, and  begged  me  to  delay  my  departure.  They  stated  that  the 
present  state  of  things  was  a  climax  long  desired  by  many  in  the  church, 
and  by  some  expected;  that  the  division  of  the  church  was  now  a  set- 
tled fact  ;  that  worldly  men  had  held  the  church  in  check  too  long. 

"  They  stated  that,  as  it  was  on  Thursday  I  received  the  message  by 
the  elder,  and  Thursday  evening  was  the  time  of  the  weekly  lecture,  the 
people  had  gathered  in  unusual  numbers.  The  hour  arrived  for  the 
service  to  commence;  but  no  preacher  was  there,  and  only  silence 
seemed  to  be  gathering  like  a  thunder-cloud  which  must  burst  soon.  At 
length  the  senior  elder  arose  in  his  seat  and  remarked:  '  You  are  ex- 
pecting Mr.  Kirk.  He  will  never  preach  in  that  pulpit  again;  and  I, 
for  one,  would  wade  through  blood  to  my  knees,  to  drive  him  out  of  the 
city.'  l     The  rest  may  be  imagined." 

The  committee  that  waited  upon  him  Friday  morning 
stated  that  on  hearing  this  elder  they  immediately  collected 
their  friends,  who  appointed  this  informal  committee  to  en- 
treat him  to  give  them  time  for  more  formal  and  definite  ac- 
tion. They  stated  that  a  band  of  women  of  the  church  had 
passed  the  night  in  prayer  to  God  that  he  might  be  detained. 
He  gave  answer,  "  I  would  go  to  the  gates  of  hell  with  such 
a  band ! "  It  resulted  in  the  formation  of  the  Fourth 
Church. 

"  A  circumstance,"  he  remarks,  "  which  could  not  escape 
my  notice,  occurred.  Many  of  my  friends  in  the  ministry 
advised  me  not  to  form  the  church.  Duty  appeared  to  me 
clear,  and  I  lived  to  see,  I  believe,  every  man  of  them  com- 
pelled, more  or  less  reluctantly,  to  leave  his  own  pulpit." 

i  It  is  but  justice  to  say  that  this  very  elder  soon  became  one  of  Mr.  Kirk's  strongest 
friends.     Ecclesiastical  enmity  is  not  everlasting. 


52  LIFE   OF  EDWARD   NORMS   KIRK. 

He  has  left  a  contemporaneous  view  of  this  great  crisis  in  his 
life,  which  we  here  append  :  — 

"  July  15th.  —  The  providence  of  God,  in  leading  me  to  Albany,  estab- 
lishing me  here,  and  opening  abundantly  doors  of  usefulness,  is  so 
marked,  that  I  cannot  doubt  my  Saviour  has  called  me  here,  and  in  some 
way  intends  to  use  me  as  an  instrument  of  good  in  this  city.  One  of 
the  leadings  of  Providence  I  wish  here  to  notice  and  here  to  record.  I 
am  certain  that  if  I  do  good  here,  according  to  my  views  of  what  is  to 
be  effected,  there  will  first  be  an  exhibition  of  the  hatred  of  God  and  of 
his  truth  by  many  respectable  men  here.  This  should  not  disturb  me  as 
an  ambassador,  but  rather  should  be  viewed  as  an  evidence  that  God  is 
enabling  me  to  preach  the  truth.  Yet,  as  a  man,  I  must  feel  it.  And 
I  do  feel  it ;  for  it  has  occurred  just  as  I  anticipated  it.  The  remark- 
able event  in  evidence  to  which  I  refer,  is  in  connection  with  this.  I 
have  been  in  the  habit,  since  last  April,  of  reading  the  Bible  in  course 
according  to  a  little  schedule  which  I  then  purchased.  This  has 
brought  me,  at  this  time,  into  the  books  of  Ezra  ajid  Nehemiah.  These 
contain  accounts  of  the  efforts  which  Ezra  and  Nehemiah  made  for  the 
glory  of  God,  and  what  principles  they  brought  into  exercise  in  the 
many  trying  circumstances  in  which  they  were  placed.  These  prin- 
ciples are  very  applicable  to  my  circumstances.  The  enemies  of  God  in 
Albany  are  complaining  of  my  preaching.  Some  have  been  greatly 
offended  because  I  told  them  that  strumpets  attended  the  theatre,  and 
loved  to  go  there.  I  appeal  to  man,  if  that  be  not  true,  and  if  it  is  not 
therefore  shameful  in  modest  women  to  love  these  schools  of  immo- 
rality. 

"  Some  say,  I  am  a  young  man,  and  therefore  should  not  take  so  high 
a  stand.  I  appeal  to  man,  if  a  young  ambassador  ought  not  to  preach 
the  truth,  as  far  as  he  knows  it,  as  faithfully  as  an  old  one  ;  if  he  should 
not  be  as  careful  to  clear  his  skirts  of  the  blood  of  men.  Here  they 
expose  themselves.  They  speak  not  of  my  sermons  as  containing  false 
representations,  but  say  that  a  young  man  should  not  preach  so  severely; 
for  older  men  whom  they  have  heard  did  not  do  so.  If  the  Lord  in- 
tends to  make  and  keep  me  faithful  to  my  trust,  and  in  the  use  of  the 
talents  which  He  has  given  me.  there  will  be  either  a  breaking-up  here, 
so  that  many  will  leave  the  church,  or  I  the  pulpit,  or  the  Lord  will 
break  down  the  pride  and  enmity  of  man,  and  magnify  the  riches  of  his 
grace  among  us. 

"  REFLECTIONS    ON   READING    EZRA   AND   NEHEMIAH. 

"  1.  Expect  enemies  in  doing  the  Lord's  work  faithfully. 
"  2.  Expect  slander.     Ezra  iv.  12. 


EARLY   WORK  AS  A   PREACHER.  53 

"  3.  Duty  requires  zeal  for  God.     Keep  this  before  your  own  mind,  and 
show  it  to  your  fellow-men  ;    for  it  will  powerfully  affect  their 
consciences,  when  they  see  you  opposing  them  under  a  solemn 
sense  of  your  responsibility  to  God. 
"  4.  Your  labor  is  not  in  vain  in  the  Lord. 

"  5.  God  must  be  owned  in  commencing,  in  prosecuting,  and  in  success. 
"  6.  Deal  candidly  with  those  whom  you  oppose. 
"  7.  You  will  see  man's  wrath  become  God's  praise. 
"  8.  A  minister  must  carefully  search  for  truth,  sincerely  practice  it, 

and  faithfully  preach  it. 
"  9.  Let  it  be  seen  that  your  confidence  is  not  in  self,  but  in  God  ;  that 
you  are  not  advancing  self  but  God. 
"  10.  Make  haste  to  put  away  sin. 
"  11.  Be  careful  to  use  the  influences  which  God  gives  you,  for  his 

glory. 
"  12.,  Ejaculatory  prayer  is  useful  in  your  work. 
"  13.  In  a  great  work,  think  and  pray  much. 
"  14.  One  may  arouse  many  to  work. 
"  15.  Fear  of  God  destroys  fear  of  man. 
"  16.  Yield  everything  as  a  man,  nothing  as  an  ambassador.     Show  this 

to  men. 
"  1 7.  You  have  much  less  to  do,  as  a  minister,  with  gratifying  social 
feelings,  or  avoiding  personal  danger,  or  entering  secular  pursuits 
or  private  individuals'  disputes,  etc.,  than  with  the  great  works 
of  the  Lord.  These  are  Satan's  traps.  Neh.  vi.  2,  3,  4,  14. 
"  18.  Vice  is  weak,  when  firmly  opposed  in  the  name  of  the  Lord.  Neh. 
xiii.  21,  25,  28."   .... 

"  July  18th.  —  My  preaching  has  become  offensive  to  many  here.  Now 
it  becomes  me  to  open  my  ears  candidly  to  every  remark  which  they 
make;  and  then,  with  prayer,  to  examine  whether  their  objections  be 
founded  upon  facts ;  and,  if  so,  whether  they  are  good  objections.  If 
they  are  not,  then  '  is  it  given  me,  not  only  to  believe  in  Christ,  but  also 
to  suffer  for  his  name.'  And  my  cause  is  a  plain  one,  —  to  go  forward 
as  a  faithful  ambassador,  treating  with  men  on  the  terms  of  my  commis- 
sion. If  they  are  justly  opposed  to  the  whole  or  to  a  part  of  my  preach- 
ing, that  whole  or  that  part  should  be  so  altered  as  to  remove  the  proper 
ground  of  objection.  Compromise  everything  but  the  truth  of  God. 
Here  I  have  much  need  of  prayer  and  reflection.  And  another  impor- 
tant consideration  arises  from  my  natural  temperament  and  some  of  my 
former  habits  :  I  am  naturally  independent,  and,  by  habit,  inclining  to 
moroseness  and  severity.  I  must,  therefore,  be  cautious  and  prayer- 
ful, lest  I  continue  in  my  sermons  to  dwell  upon  smaller  points  which 
offend,   instead  of   holding  up  the  great   truths  of    God's  woi'd.     Oh, 


54  LIFE   OF  EDWARD   NORRIS   KIRK. 

how  much  wisdom  from  above,  how  much  child-like  leaning  upon  the 
Lord,  is  necessary  in  order  to  do  the  great  work  of  the  ministry 
aright!  "   .   .   .   . 

"  July  21th.  —  There  is  a  feature  of  the  providential  dispensation  of  God 
under  which  my  ministry  is  commenced  which  I  desire  to  notice  and  to 
record.  Not  only  am  I  favored  with  an  uncommon  degree  of  health  and 
bodily  strength,  not  only  encouraged  in  my  labors,  and  enabled  to  exer- 
cise a  certain  useful  class  of  feelings  which  I  once  feared  I  should  never 
possess  (the  social),  but  one  thing  after  another  has  been  forming  a  con- 
catenation of  circumstances  which  have  a  tendency  to  make  my  ministry 
spiritual,  prayerful,  and  sincere  in  motive  and  intention.  I  rejoice  with 
trembling,  but  even  if  I  fall  before  putting  on  the  harness,  I  desire  to 
record  on  this  Ebenezer  the  goodness  of  the  Lord.  As  Ezra  frequently 
says,  '  Through  the  good  hand  of  the  Lord  upon  me,'  etc.  '  Ob,  taste 
and  see  that  the  Lord  is  gracious.' "  .  .  .  . 

"  August  6th.  —  I  think  the  designs  of  God  in  his  dealings  with  my 
soul  are  manifest.  I  groan,  being  burdened.  This  is  to  destroy  pride, 
and  to  teach  that  doctrine,  which  is  not  easily  embraced  practically,  that 
'  God  employs  earthen  vessels  to  bear  this  treasure.'  Here  is  faith,  to  go 
forward  to  God's  work  with  much  confidence,  when  I  am  so  sensible  of 
deficiency  and  unworthiness.     Lord,  increase  my  faith."  .... 

"  August  14th.  —  This  day  completed  my  twenty-sixth  year.  I  desire 
to  spend  it  in  — 

"I.  Reflecting  on  my  past  life. 

"1.   To  acknowledge  the  goodness  of  God. 

"2.  To  take  an  impressive  view  of  my  actions,  considered  as  a  being 

in  God's  vast  universe. 
"3.   To  repent  of  sin. 
"  4.  To  know  my  character. 

"II.  Reflecting  on  my  present  condition. 

"1.  As  to  my  sincerity  before  God. 

"2.  As  to  my  present  state  of  religious  feeling. 

"III.  Looking  to  the  future. 

"  1.  To  be  impressed  by  the  uncertainty  of  life. 
"  2.   To  be  impressed  by  the  nearness  of  eternity. 

"3.  To  review  .the  principles  upon  which  I  intend  to  act  in  each  de- 
partment, — 

"a.  As  a  Christian  ; 

" b.  As  a  Student  ; 

"  c.  As  a  Minister  ; 

"  d.  As  a  Man,  Son,  Brother,  Patriot,  etc. 
"  4.  To  covenant  anew  with  God. 


EARLY   WORK  AS   A  PREACHER.  55 

"  I.  My  Past. 

' '  The  goodness  of  God  to  me  has  been  manifested  in  giving  me  to  be 
born  in  a  Christian  land,  under  a  free  government,  and  especially  of  a 
pious  father,  with  sisters  whose  prayers  and  counsels  followed  me  when 
the  rest  of  the  world  seemed  willing  to  abandon  me  ;  in  giving  me  tbe 
advantage  of  a  good  education,  protecting  me  in  the  midst  of  dangers, 
providing  for  all  my  wants,  giving  me  a  valuable  friend  in  my  uncle,  bear- 
ing with  my  ingratitude  and  daring  wickedness,  and  then  directing  my 
thoughtless  mind  to  see  the  necessity  of  preparation  for  eternity.  Since 
that  time,  God  has  wonderfully  forborne  to  cut  me  off  as  a  vile  hypocrite. 
He  has  provided  for  my  theological  education,  answered  my  prayers, 
enabled  me  to  improve  my  mind;  and,  I  trust,  has  enabled  me  to  expe- 
rience something  of  his  grace.  My  situation  now,  has  everything  in  it 
to  call  for  great  gratitude.  Even  the  trials  through  which  I  have  passed 
—  nay,  the  very  sins  of  my  heart  —  have  been  made  instruments  of 
good  to  this  poor  creature.  Oh,  praise  the  Lord,  my  soul.  Be  not 
forgetful  of  all  his  benefits  ;  nor  of  the  hand  whence  these  mercies 
come. 

"  I  have  now  been  living  for  twenty-six  years  in  God's  empire,  and 
what  have  I  done  to  accomplish  the  objects  for  which  I  was  sent  here? 
Nothing!  nothing!  If  holy  spirits  have  been  acquainted  with  my  history, 
every  line  of  it  has  shocked  them,  except  where  God  moved  me  to  re- 
pentance. Unholy  spirits  have  rejoiced  with  impious  glee,  to  see  me 
receiving  God's  mercies  and  then  insulting  Him,  —  to  see  me  trampling 
the  cross  of  Christ  under  foot.  Oh,  what  a  history  to  be  handed  down 
to  the  end  of  time !  May  it  only  be  read  to  show  the  long-suffering  of 
God,  and  the  efficacy  of  the  Redeemer's  blood,  and  the  power  of  the 
Spirit  of  Grace." 

[We  omit  the  comments  upon  the  second  head,  because  of 
repetition.] 

"HI.  Mj/  Prospects. 

"  I  may  die  to-day.  Eternity  may  be  only  a  few  steps  from  me.  The 
bliss  and  perfect  holiness  of  heaven,  or  the  torments  of  hell,  may  be  real- 
ized in  a  few  hours.  Yet  I  must  lay  plans  of  action  in  submission  to  the 
will  of  Providence.  As  a  Christian,  I  am  determined,  by  the  grace  of 
God,  to  give  a  more  serious  attention  to  the  inquiry,  Am  I  a  Christian? 
I  desire,  too,  to  think  more  of  spiritual  truths  with  spiritual  feelings.  As 
a  student,  I  must  become  more  systematic,  taking  a  more  commanding 
survey  of  the  whole  field  of  study  ;  stimulated  by  the  consideration,  that, 
if  I  live  to  advanced  age,  nothing  will  sustain  me  from  dotage,  or  from 
being  worn  out,  so  effectually  as  ample  and  varied  stores  of  knowledge, 


56  LIFE   OF  EDWARD   NORMS   KIRK. 

and  regular  habits  of  study,  as  well  as  the  habit  of  laying  out  all  for  the 
glory  of  God  and  the  good  of  man.  As  a  minister,  I  desire  to  learn  the 
art  of  mingling  pastoral  and  pulpit  labors.  I  must  instruct  a  Bible-class. 
I  must  plead  and  strive  for  more  of  the  spirit  of  the  office,  as  exemplified 
in  Christ  and  his  apostles.  As  a  man,  I  must  be  more  social  and  benev- 
olent, and  have  greater  variety  of  conversation.  As  a  son  and  brother 
and  friend,  I  must  be  more  affectionate.  As  a  patriot,  I  must  pray  more 
for  my  country. 

"  Lastly,  I  now  covenant  with  my  God  ;  I  am  his,  —  by  creation,  by 
preservation,  by  redemption.  No  being  is  as  worthy  of  supreme  love; 
no  object  of  greater  interest  and  importance  than  his  glory.  Here  are 
claims  on  claims,  and  I  desire  to  meet  tbem.  I  therefore  renounce  every 
enemy  to  God,  every  idol,  the  greatest  of  which  is  self  too  much  loved. 
I  choose  God  to  be  my  portion  and  my  only  Lord.  To  his  glory,  will  I 
direct  my  conduct,  and  by  his  law  will  form  it.  I  am  nothing  in  myself; 
I  therefore  take  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  as  all  in  all,  to  be  my  Redeemer 
in  all  his  offices.  And  I  desire  to  acknowledge  my  dependence  on  and 
obligations  to  Him  forever.  I  will  make  it  my  study  to  see  wherein  I 
come  short  in  this  ;  and  then'  repent  and  fly  again  to  the  blood  of  the 
covenant."  .... 

"  October  \Ath.  —  I  never  had  more  distinct  perceptions  of  the  benev- 
olence of  God,  and  of  the  rationale  of  repentance,  than  I  have  to-day. 
God  has  real  divine  love  and  compassion  for  me  as  a  man  ;  but  my  sins 
and  my  sinfulness  stand  as  a  barrier  between  me  and  the  emanations  of 
his  beneficence.  His  benevolence  has  provided  a  way  by  which  that 
barrier  can  be  removed.  It  is  a  way  which  secures  in  me  a  full  convic- 
tion of  my  vileness,  a  full  appreciating  of  the  divine  grace,  and  a  thor- 
ough opposition  to  the  enemies  of  God.  This  is  a  stand  which  the  rights 
of  God,  and  the  harmony  of  the  universe,  demand  of  me  as  a  moral 
agent.  All  that  is  then  required  of  me  at  any  moment  is  a  removing 
that  barrier  which  stands  between  me  and  the  tide  of  divine  love.  This 
barrier  is  the  approbation  of  sin.  The  removal  of  it  is  the  disapproba- 
tion of  sin,  cordial  and  unreserved.  And  the  moment  in  which  divine 
grace  inclines  us  to  remove  that  bar,  that  moment  the  stream  of  love, 
unobstructed,  flows  in  upon  us.  O  God,  my  Saviour,  who  wast  exalted 
to  give  repentance,  impart  to  me  the  spirit  of  penitence!  And  when 
Thou  seest  the  trickling  tear,  and  hearest  the  heartfelt  sigh,  pour  in 
upon  my  soul  the  tide  of  life."   .... 

"  October  lltlu  —  This  day  I  have  consecrated  to  humiliation,  fasting, 
and  prayer.  My  reasons  are  fourfold.  First,  I  am  dissatisfied  very 
greatly  with  my  Christian  attainments.  Second,  I  have  received  a 
solemn  appeal  and  invitation  from  Charleston,  which  places  me  in  this 
situation  :  that  if  I  do  not  go,  I  stay  against  the  prayers  and  fervent 
desires  of  a  whole  church.     Third,  I  am  soon  to  enter  the  gospel  min- 


EARLY  WORK  AS   A   PREACHER.  57 

istry.  Fourth,  as  the  temporary  pastor  of  Dr.  Chester's  church,  I  ought 
to  weep  between  the  porch  and  the  altar  for  the  people  :  I  fully  believe 
that  God  will  bless  us,  if  we  return  to  Him.  On  the  first  article,  I  will 
record  only  this  :  that  I  want  to  be  ardently  zealous  that  God's  will  and 
glory  shall  be  promoted  by  me  ;  that  the  person  and  character  of  the 
blessed  Redeemer  should  be  more  loved  and  studied  and  imitated  by  me. 

"  The  second  presents  to  me  another  occasion  of  contemplating  my 
responsibilities,  and  of  reviewing  the  grounds  of  my  decision  to  remain 
here.  This  I  desire  to  do  with  the  clearest  recognition  of  the  fact  that 
I  will  stand  in  the  presence  of  my  Saviour,  who  is  the  Head  of  his 
Church,  and  answer  to  Him  for  my  course  and  principles.  I  think,  after 
some  reflection,  that  there  are  four  reasons  why  I  should  not  go  to 
Charleston.  First,  the  climate  would  debilitate  and  finally  undermine 
my  bilious  constitution,  if  I  may  judge  by  the  influence  of  our  summers 
on  me.  Second,  I  have  received  several  calls  whose  claims  are  prior  in 
point  of  time  to  this.  Third,  if  I  go  from  Albany,  Boston  would  most  fully 
meet  my  views,  as  affording  an  unequaled  sphere  for  improvement,  and  one 
of  sufficient  magnitude  for  usefulness.  Fourth,  I  yet  see  no  reason  for 
believing  that  the  Lord  has  not  called  me  here.  Since  commencing  this 
record,  I  have  received  an  invitation  from  the  Pine  Street  Church,  in 
Boston,  to  preach  for  them,  with  a  view  to  settlement.  It  really  seems 
to  me  surprising  what  God  intends  by  this.  Perhaps  it  will  elate  me 
with  pride  and  self-complacency.  Oh,  my  God,  forbid  it.  But  may 
these  repeated  calls  make  me  feel  that  I  have  a  solemn  work  to  perform, 
and  that  my  every  step  should  be  solemnly  considered,  and  taken  from 
principles  which  will  pass  the  great  ordeal."  .... 

"  November  5,  1828.  —  I  would  make  a  memorandum  here  for  the 
purpose  of  preserving  my  views,  to  be  reviewed  to  the  end  of  life  and 
through  eternity.  I  have  been  for  some  time  supplying  Dr.  Chester's 
place  as  far  as  I  was  able.  A  few  members  of  the  congregation  are  dis- 
satisfied, and  anxious  to  have  me  dismissed.  The  Session  and  Trustees 
have  accordingly  dismissed  me.  A  number  of  most  respectable  members 
of  the  church  immediately  convened  and  presented  me  a  request  to 
remain  until  a  fairer  view  of  the  sentiments  and  desires  of  the  church 
and  congregation  should  be  obtained  ;  and  it  is  their  belief  that  my 
departure  will  occasion  an  immediate  division  of  the  society.  I  am  well 
aware  that  my  reputation  abroad  will  suffer  in  this  course,  and  so  it  will 
if  I  go.  But  I  here  record  my  views.  If  men,  even  my  friends  and  my 
brethren  in  the  ministry,  will  make  their  decisions  without  a  fair  view 
of  facts,  I  cannot  help  it,  of  course,  and  I  do  not  think  it  ought  to 
weigh  one  moment,  in  my  balancings,  to  decide  duty.  If  I  stay,  it  is 
because  I  believe  it  will  unite  this  church  more  fully  than  if  I  go  away. 
Second,  if  I  stay,  I  know  that  my  reputation  will  be  brought  out  more 
unsullied  than  by  going.     Third,  if  I  go,  the  church  will  certainly  be 


58  LIFE   OF  EDWARD   NORMS   KIRK. 

split  :  this  I  know.  Now,  some  may  say  of  this,  as  an  argument  for  my 
remaining,  '  How  do  you  know  the  church  will  he  split?  '  My  reply  is, 
'  From  what  I  know  of  the  views  and  feelings  of  the  people.'  For  the 
church  will  then  consider  it  settled,  as  a  principle,  that  a  few  men  who 
manifest  no  special  interest  in  the  spiritual  concerns  of  the  church,  and 
to  whom  they  are  not  intrusted,  can  govern  these  spiritual  affairs.  This 
I  know  from  some  of  the  most  judicious  men  in  the  church.  And  if  any 
should  still  think  I  am  mistaken,  I  can  only  say  that  a  man  must  make 
his  own  decisions  from  what  he  thinks  to  be  facts.  And  again  :  if  it  be 
said,  on  this  ground,  'Why  then  have  you  fostered  such  a  feeling?' 
I  call  men  —  even  my  opposers  —  to  witness,  that  I  have  never  publicly 
fostered  a  spirit  of  division.  And  I  call  God  to  witness,  that  I  have 
willfully  done  nothing  which  is  bringing  this  church  to  that  conclusion, 
excepting  this  :  I  have  said,  to  about  eight  persons,  that  this  seems  to 
me  a  correct  principle,  —  if  the  members  of  a  church  find  it  to  be  a  settled 
principle  that  their  church  affairs  are  so  managed  that  in  the  lesser  affair 
of  a  temporary  supply,  or  the  greater  affair  of  settling  a  pastor,  they 
ascertain  that  they  and  their  children  are  not  to  be  regarded  on  the  point 
of  their  wishes,  then  they  had  better  go  to  the  humblest  building  they 
can  find,  and  obtain  such  ministerial  labor  as  they  think  will  best  prepare 
them  for  their  everlasting  destinies.  This,  I  am  confident,  cannot  be  the 
origin  of  that  determined  feeling  which  now  exists  to  leave  the  church 
if  this  should  be  the  result,  because  the  feeling  existed  before  I  made 
those  remarks  to  these  few  individuals.  There  is  again  another  view  : 
I  may  be  blamed  for  remaining  here.  On  this  point,  my  views  are  that 
there  has  not  been  a  time  when  I  could  leave  here  with  any  propriety, 
because  I  was  officially  invited  to  remain  here ;  and  it  would  have  been 
doing  justice  neither  to  myself  nor  to  the  church,  if  I  had  left  without  a 
request  expressed  by  the  same  body  which  invited  me  here.  And  besides 
this,  I  never  saw  what  I  deemed  a  sufficient  reason  for  leaving." 

Another  record  left  by  Dr.  Kirk,  bearing  upon  the  same 
topic,  is  the  following :  — 

"experience  in  trouble. 

"  At  the  time  when  I  was  informed  that  my  services  were  no  longer 
desired  in  the  Second  Presbyterian  Church,  I  was  reading  the  Scriptures 
in  course.  On  that  morning,  the  thirty-seventh  Psalm  and  a  portion  of 
Nehemiah  were  the  readings  of  the  day.  Imagine  a  young  man  who  had 
known  nothing  but  popular  favor  in  his  public  life,  thus  rebuked  and 
presented  to  the  community  as  unfit  to  occupy  that  pulpit;  assured  the 
while  that  much  of  the  opposition  was  to  the  truth  he  preached,  how- 
ever much  might  be  justly  ascribed  to  the  manner.  I  admit  that  personal 
defects  marred  the  beautiful  gospel  1  preached  ;  that  there  were  certain 


EARLY  WORK   AS  A  PREACHER.  59 

circumstances,  of  which  I  was  ignorant  and  innocent,  that  caused  some 
of  the  opposition.  But  God  enabled  me  to  see  his  hand  using  the  hand 
of  man ;  and  enabled  me  to  say  in  spirit  what  David  so  beautifully  said 
in  words. 

"As  I  opened  that  morning  the  blessed  Book,  the  thirty- seventh 
Psalm  met  my  eye.  It  was  no  dull  reading  of  a  portion  of  Scripture.  A 
living  soul  was  craving  for  relief,  for  sympathy,  for  guidance  ;  and  lo  ! 
an  angel  of  the  Lord  seemed  to  be  at  my  side,  laying  his  gentle  hand 
upon  my  shoulder,  his  countenance  beaming  with  heaven's  smile,  and  his 
voice  uttering  these  words  :  '  Fret  not  thyself  because  of  evil  doers.' 
That  was  the  word,  —  '  Fret  not.'  It  was  a  word  my  Heavenly  Father 
sent  by  that  blessed  messenger.  I  knew  not  but  all  my  hopes,  profes- 
sional and  personal,  were  blasted  :  '  No  !  '  said  the  heavenly  messenger  ; 
'  Trust  in  the  Lord  and  do  good  ;  so  shalt  thou  dwell  in  the  land  and 
verily  thou  shalt  be  fed.'  '  But  am  I  to  rest  under  this  reproach  ?  ' 
'  No  !  He  shall  bring  forth,'  etc.  (Ps.  xxxvii.  6.)  The  book  of  Nehe- 
miah,  written  so  many  centuries  before,  seemed  to  me  only  a  Jewish  ver- 
sion of  the  events  then  occurring.  So  vivid  was  my  impression  of  the 
divinity  of  that  book ;  so  evident  was  it  to  me  that  holy  men  of  God 
spake  as  they  were  moved  by  the  Holy  Ghost,  guided  by  a  wisdom  not 
their  own,  and  a  minute  acquaintance  with  the  personal  want  of  an 
afflicted  soul,  that  no  philosophy,  no  reasoning,  no  learning,  has  ever 
shaken  my  unqualified  confidence  in  the  Holy  Scriptures  as  God  speak- 
ing to  man.  Nehemiah's  object  was  identical  with  mine  in  its  ultimate 
results,  though  widely  different  in  form.  He  trusted  the  same  Power. 
He  met  the  same  opposing  spirit.  His  temptations  were  the  same,  his 
trust  the  same.  And  from  that  hour  I  did  not  doubt  that  I  should  share 
his  success." 


CHAPTER  V. 

SETTLEMENT   AND   LABOKS   IN  ALBANY. 

1829-1837. 

The  city  of  Albany  is  situated  at  the  bead  of  tide-water 
upon  the  beautiful  Hudson,  the  "  river  of  the  mountains." 
Famous  as  the  manorial  possessions  of  the  Van  Rensselaers, 
and  for  its  share  in  the  Colonial  and  Revolutionary  history 
through  its  noble  "  patroons,"  the  city  has  earned  a  goodly 
title. 

Resting  with  its  eastern  slope  upon  the  Hudson  for  a  mile, 
it  reaches  back  a  distance  of  sixteen  miles  over  terraces  of 
magnificent  proportions,  affording  it  a  highly  favored  situa- 
tion. Far  in  the  distance  to  the  north  are  the  Green  Mount- 
ains, while  toward  the  east  are  the  Hoosacs,  about  ten  miles 
away.  In  the  south,  some  thirteen  miles  distant,  arise  the 
Helderbergs,  and  farther  yet  the  Catskills. 

As  late  as  1824,  the  pure  Dutch,  the  language  of  its  found- 
ers, was  very  extensively  spoken.  Now,  the  English  is  the 
exclusive  tongue.  The  young  people  of  Dutch  descent  are 
so  little  acquainted  with  the  language  of  their  ancestors  as 
to  be  compelled  to  learn  it  at  school. 

Yet  let  no  one  suppose  that  such  a  change  has  been  easily 
brought  about.  Irving's  "  Knickerbocker  "  is  true  to  history, 
when  it  pictures  the  contempt  of  the  earlier  Dutch  settlers 
for  the  "  Yankees  "  as  barbarians.  So  strong  was  the  na- 
tional feeling,  that  it  became  a  proverb,  "  If  you  kick  a 
Dutchman  at  Communipaw,  every  Dutchman  as  far  as  Al- 
bany will  feel  the  indignity." 

After  the  Revolution,  the  English,  or  "  Yankees,"  emigrated 


SETTLEMENT  AND  LABORS  IN  ALBANY.       61 

to  the  quaint  old  town  in  large  numbers  ;  yet,  like  the  Jews 
of  old  to  Gentiles,  the  Dutch  allowed  them  no  willing  favors. 
The  story  is  told  to-day  of  the  wife  of  a  young  man,  a  Dutch- 
man, who  obtained  the  promise  of  her  spouse  that  he  would 
show  her  the  first  specimen  of  the  Yankees  who  should  ap- 
pear. The  "pickets"  of  New  England  have  been  her  ped- 
dlers, and  a  Connecticut  peddler  struck  the  heavy  knocker 
of  their  door.  No  sooner  had  the  husband  seen  him  than  he 
called  his  vrow.  "  Hans,"  said  she,  from  a  room  within,  "  I 
vont  to  zee  him,  but  haf  my  honds  in  de  do'  off  de  bret." 
"  Di  dem  up,"  said  Hans ;  and  soon  she  appeared  to  scan 
the  barbarian  of  the  "Nutmeg  State." 

Morse  tells  us,  in  his  famous  "  Geography,"  that  "  their 
houses  are  kept  very  neat,  being  rubbed  with  a  mop  almost 
every  day  and  scoured  every  week,"  and  then,  with  his  mat- 
ter-of-fact precision,  says  that  the  same  neatness  could  not 
be  predicated  of  the  streets.  The  sterner  sex  doubtless 
smoked  while  their  vroivs  mopped  and  scoured.  The  spouts 
from  the  house-roofs,  emptying  their  contents  into  the  streets, 
rendered  walking  almost  impossible  in  a  rainy  day.  The 
signs  of  such  a  comfortable  imprisonment  of  the  male  sex 
were  the  wreaths  of  tobacco  smoke  rolling  out  from  the  win- 
dows and  doors  of  each  house.  A  quiet  life  this  —  retiring 
to  sleep  at  sunset  and  rising  with  the  dawn.  A  few  houses 
of  the  old  Dutch-Gothic  style  still  remain  as  mementos  of 
the  olden  time  in  the  midst  of  the  changes  that  have  been 
wrought  by  the  barbarians.  The  music  of  the  storm  was 
heightened  by  the  creaking  of  the  rusty  weather-vanes  from 
every  gable. 

Irving  tells  us  of  the  "  gorgeous  brass  knockers,"  in  the 
device  of  the  head  of  a  lion  or  a  dog,  which  ornamented 
every  "  front  door."  Upon  his  second  visit  to  this  country, 
Lafayette  alighted  from  his  carriage  to  reexamine  one  of 
these,  —  a  lion's  head,  —  whose  peculiar  pattern  all  the  events 
of  his  intensely  active  life  would  not  allow  him  to  forget. 

The  diversions  of  the  people  are  thus  tersely  described  in 
the  "  Geography  :  "  "  Walking,  and  sitting  in  mead-houses  ; 


62  LIFE   OF  EDWARD  N  ORRIS   KIRK. 

and  in  mixed  companies  they  dance The  gentlemen, 

who  are  lively  and  gay,  play  at  cards,  billiards,  chess,  etc. ; 
others  go  to  the  tavern  mechanically  at  eleven  o'clock,  stay 
until  dinner  and  return  in  the  evening.  It  is  not  uncommon 
to  see  forty  or  fifty  at  these  places  of  resort  at  the  same 
time  ;  yet  they  seldom  drink  to  intoxication,  unless  in  com- 
pany or  on  public  occasions,  when  it  is  thought  to  be  no 
disgrace." 

In  anticipation  of  what  will  be  found  in  these  pages,  we 
have  ventured  the  description  of  customs  in  which  Saxons 
and  Hollanders  were  (and  perhaps  are)  one.  Despite  their 
quaintness  and  their  unforgiving  spirit  toward  Washington 
Irving  because  of  his  "  Knickerbocker,"  there  are  no  truer 
friends  found  than  among  the  Hollanders.  They  are  slow 
in  making  new  friends,  but  when  they  have  once  made  them 
are  hospitable  and  warm-hearted. 

It  was  among  such  a  people  that  the  early  settlers  from 
New  England  came  to  carry  out  their  plans  for  business. 
These  men  built  the  edifice  of  the  Second  Presbyterian 
Church  ;  and,  that  the  building  might  declare  the  nationality 
of  the  worshipers,  they  swung  out,  among  the  weather-vanes 
of  the  old  town,  theirs  in  the  shape  of  a  codfish,  and  above 
this  placed  a  golden  pumpkin.  Why  it  is  that  a  codfish  is 
the  symbol  of  New  England,  we  cannot  say  ;  but  Irving 
tells  us,  that,  at  the  capture  of  Fort  Goed  Hoop  by  the 
Yankees,  the  standard  which  they  raised  was  emblazoned 
with  the  symbol  of  a  dried  codfish. 

Members  of  the  old  North  Dutch  Church  were  in  no  way 
unmindful  of  the  trouble  in  the  church  with  the  Yankee 
weather-vane.  They  talked  the  exciting  affair  over,  and 
doubtless  consumed  many  pipes  of  tobacco  upon  it,  —  many 
church-members  smoked  in  those  days,  —  and,  as  proof  of 
their  deliberate  judgment  and  friendship,  invited  the  young 
preacher  and  his  little  flock  to  meet  in  .their  Consistory  Room. 

It  was  this  same  church  that,  in  1754,  upon  the  19th 
of  June,  opened  the  doors  of  their  former  sanctuary  to  the 
now  famous  "  Congress  of  Commissioners  from  every  Colony 


SETTLEMENT  AND  LABORS  IN  ALBANY.       63 

north  of  the  Potomac,"  and  to  representatives  from  Virginia 
and  South  Carolina.  In  the  edifice  of  that  same  old  Dutch 
church,  Benjamin  Franklin  had  brought  forward  his  plan 
for  a  Union  of  the  Colonies.  They  had  been  accused  of 
disloyalty ;  but  all  honor  to  the  historic  church  where  the 
plan  of  the  American  Union  was  first  broached  to  the 
world. 

The  young  church  met  in  this  hospitable  home  for  a  few 
months,  or  until  more  ample  and  commodious  quarters  could 
be  found. 

The  preliminary  meetings  with  reference  to  the  organiza- 
tion of  the  Fourth  Presbyterian  Church  had  already  been 
held,  —  the  first  upon  the  evening  of  October  30,  1828. 
Nineteen  persons  were  present,  all  members  of  the  Second 
Church.  The  only  business  transacted  was  the  adoption  of 
a  memorial  addressed  to  the  Session  of  their  church,  re- 
questing that  the  services  of  the  Rev.  Edward  N.  Kirk 
should  be  continued  until  the  return  of  the  pastor,  Dr.  Ches- 
ter. This  petition  being  unsuccessful,  another  meeting  was 
held,  November  11th,  at  which  it  was  voted  expedient  to 
organize  a  new  church  ;  and  to  accomplish  this  a  commit- 
tee was  appointed  to  secure  Mr.  Kirk  as  its  pastor. 

An  arrangement  was  also  made  at  this  meeting  for  the 
preparation  of  a  paper  subsequently  adopted,  and  entitled 
"  Reasons  for  withdrawing  from  the  Second  Presbyterian 
Church."  In  this  document,  which  is  quite  full  and  elab- 
orate, while  the  first  place  was  naturally  given,  in  the 
language  of  the  paper  itself,  to  "  our  desire  to  enjoy  such 
ministerial  labor  as  we  think  conducive  to  our  spiritual  and 
eternal  interests,"  great  stress  was  laid  upon  the  desirable- 
ness of  a  new  church  organization  in  order  to  meet  the  in- 
creasing spiritual  destitution  of  the  northern  part  of  the 
city. 

Upon  the  first  Sabbath  succeeding  this  meeting  (Novem- 
ber 16,  1828),  public  religious  services  were  commenced  in 
the  Consistory  Room  of  the  North  Dutch  Church,  as  already 
noticed.     As  yet,  however,  no  civil  or  ecclesiastical  society 


61  LITE   OF  EDWARD   NORMS   KIRK. 

bad  been  organized.  Tbe  first  was  consummated  on  the 
evening  of  December  1st,  when  "  Articles  of  Association," 
as  they  were  called,  were  adopted,  and  trustees  elected ; 
the  last  was  perfected  on  the  second  day  of  February,  1829. 
Fifty-five  persons  united  in  this  organization.  Two  days 
later,  the  church  was  received  under  the  care  of  the  Presby- 
tery of  Albany,  and  a  call  to  its  pastorate  accepted  by  Mr. 
Kirk.  He  was  installed  on  the  twenty-first  day  of  April, 
1829.  On  the  14th  of  September,  in  the  same  year,  "  a 
committee  to  procure  a  suitable  lot  for  a  church  edifice, 
and  to  raise  for  this  purpose  the  requisite  funds,"  was  ap- 
pointed. These  objects  were  in  most  respects  accomplished 
in  the  ensuing  winter.  The  building  was  formally  dedicated 
to  the  worship  of  God  on  Thursday  evening,  May  20,  1830. 

Without  claiming  that  the  motives  of  tbe  Christian  people 
who  united  in  the  first  organization  of  the  church  were  al- 
together pure,  or  that  everything  they  did  was  right,  we  can 
justly  say  that  they  were  zealous,  earnest,  warm-hearted. 
They  were  not  satisfied  that  Christianity  should  be  a  mere 
ecclesiasticism.  The  chariot-wheels  of  salvation  did  not 
roll  on  fast  enough  for  them.  They  must  iiave  the  church 
increase,  not  by  growth  only,  but  by  conquest  as  well.  They 
would  make  Zion  more  aggressive.  They  would  have  her 
go  out  into  the  highways  and  hedges,  and  compel  men  to 
come  in  ;  and,  persuaded  of  the  insufficiency  of  old  modes 
of  Christian  preaching  and  labor,  they  would  introduce  new 
ones,  —  more  direct,  pungent,  awakening,  and  long  con- 
tinued presentations  of  truth.  And  hence,  starting  from 
such  motives,  the  church  had  its  own  peculiar  characteristics 
and  its  own  mission  to  accomplish. 

Just  here,  it  is  important  briefly  to  inquire  into  the  rea- 
sons for  all  this  feeling  and  change.  It  was  not  a  mere  per- 
sonal feeling  at  first.  The  Hon.  Bradford  R.  Wood,  of 
Albany,  a  warm  friend  of  Mr.  Kirk  for  a  life-time,  and  a  gen- 
tleman intimately  acquainted  with  the  prominent  members 
of  the  Second  Church,  bears  his  testimony  as  to  their  appre- 
ciation of  the  young  preacher's  ability,  while  they  disliked 


SETTLEMENT  AND  LABORS  IN  ALBANY.       65 

his  measures.  These  doctrinal  and  practical  bases  led  to 
what  became  afterwards  more  of  a  personal  feeling. 

The  Presbyterian  Church  had  lost  to  a  great  degree  its 
pristine  power.  The  early  religious  fervor  had  become  crys- 
tallized into  that  ecclesiastical  formalism  into  which  every 
church,  but  for  a  living  piety,  is  sure  to  fall.  It  was  a  par- 
allel with  the  history  of  the  English  Church,  of  which  John 
Newton  said,  "  The  doctrines  of  grace  are  seldom  heard  from 
the  pulpit,  and  the  life  and  power  of  religion  are  little 
known." 

What  the  Wesleys  and  Whitefield  accomplished  in  their 
days  for  the  English  Church,  and  what  Dr.  Chalmers  did  for 
the  Scotch,  others  had  to  do  for  the  American  churches  in 
the  second  quarter  of  this  century.  Ecclesiastically,  they 
were  unsound. 

Congregationalists  had  been  told,  by  some  of  their  high- 
est authorities,  that  their  system  was  bounded  by  the  Hud- 
son, and  that  beyond  this  boundary  the  Presbyterian  Church 
was  the  only  one  that  could  thrive.  But  as  gi*eater  num- 
bers emigrated  from  New  England,  loving  their  own  form  of 
church  government,  they  were  inclined  to  establish  churches 
of  their  own.  To  prevent  the  New  Englanders  and  the 
Scotch-Irish  from  forming  separate  church  organizations,  the 
celebrated  Plan  of  Union  was  devised,  by  which  the  pastor 
was  ordained  and  installed  by  the  Presbytery,  while  the 
church  was  governed  upon  the  principle  of  the  Consociation 
in  Congregationalism.  In  cases  of  trouble,  the  appeal  was 
made  either  to  the  churches  or  to  the  Presbytery  as  the  in- 
dividual church  might  decide.  These  churches  had  no  eld- 
ers, but  were  served  by  committees. 

When  it  is  remembered  that  the  Presbytery  was  com- 
posed of  pastors  and  elders,  it  is  easy  to  see  that  troubles 
would  inevitably  arise  from  sending  to  participate  in  the 
affairs  of  Presbytery  the  pastors  and  committee-men  —  these 
committee-men  not  having  the  functions  of  elders  —  from 
these  mongrel  churches.  And,  on  the  other  hand,  such 
churches  prevented  the  founding  of  those  in  the  Congrega 


66  LIFE   OF  EDWARD   NORMS   KIRK. 

tional  order ;  so  that  neither  denomination  was  satisfied  with 
the  compromise. 

In  addition  to  these  facts,  another  cause  of  dissension  was 
arising.  It  was  a  question  between  new  measures  and  old 
measures.  Those  who  adopted  the  custom  of  inviting  people 
to  come  forward  for  prayers  or  to  rise  for  prayers,  and  to 
engage  in  similar  acts,  were  included  in  the  New  Measure 
Party.  Among  the  churches  in  New  York,  and  in  the  West- 
ern Reserve  of  Ohio,  the  employment  of  these  new  measures 
was  confined  to  the  churches  formed  on  the  basis  of  the  Plan 
of  Union. 

The  antagonism  against  all  new  measures  was  intense. 
Honest  and  well-meaning  men  joined  in  the  persecution  — 
for  persecution  it  was  of  the  bitterest  kind.  Among  those 
who  were  openly  assailed  were  the  Revs.  Albert  Barnes,  C. 
G.  Finney,  Dr.  Beman  of  Troy,  and  Mr.  Kirk. 

It  is  a  curious  fact,  and  very  remarkable  considering  the 
opposition  evoked,  that  the  Old  School  Presbyterian  Church 
has  gone  over  bodily  to  the  very  measures  it  opposed  in  1837. 
In  the  last  revival  at  Princeton  (in  1875-76)  every  measure 
was  employed  that  Dr.  Beman  or  Mr.  Kirk  ever  made  use 
of.  The  measures  of  Mr.  Moody  are  substantially  those  of 
Mr.  Kirk  ;  yet  men  of  the  "  Old  "  School  and  of  the  "  New  " 
support  him  alike. 

In  view  of  these  facts,  the  moralist  may  well  question  the 
importance  of  such  a  bitter  conflict.  One  fact  is  clear  :  the 
friends  of  ecclesiasticism  then  were  not  the  most  honored 
workers  in  the  spiritual  harvest.  They  who  spend  their 
time  and  employ  their  talents  taking  care  of  the  shell  never 
find  time  to  eat  the  meat  of  the  kernel. 

The  religious  papers  of  that  day  exhibit  a  virulence  which 
must  have  been  palatable  reading  for  prize-fighters.  Men  of 
the  most  acknowledged  piety  are  called  "  such  heretics  as  fill 
some  of  the  Presbyteries  in  New  York,  Ohio,  and  Michigan." 
It  is  sufficient  for  us,  however,  to  know,  that,  among  others, 
Mr.  Kirk's  standing  was  thus  decreed  by  a  committee  of  the 
General  Assembly  :  "  Whatever  else  is  dark,  this  is  clear, 


SETTLEMENT  AND  LABORS  IN  ALBANY.       67 

we  cannot  continue  in  the  same  hody"  .  ..."  in  some  way 
or  other,  therefore,  these  men  must  be  separated  from 
US."  The  hasty  action  of  1837,  gloated  over  by  a  certain 
class  of  men,  men  to  whom  a  church  quarrel  is  as  exciting  as 
a  novel,  brings  a  blush  to  their  children's  cheeks  to-day,  and 
(may  we  hope  ?)  brings  wisdom  as  well  to  head  and  heart. 
Referring  to  this  great  conflict,  Mr.  Kirk  thus  wrote  to  the 
"  Evangelist  "  in  1836  :  — 

"  For  three  years  I  have  observed  with  pain,  both  in  church  and  state, 
that  the  best  men,  and  some  of  them  the  loudest  in  their  censure  of  party 
spirit,  have  actually  sacrificed  their  personal  independence  to  party  con- 
sistency. I  see  caucusing  in  everv  party,  and  I  see  all  its  pernicious 
effects.  To  speak  of  it  more  particularly  in  the  church:  You  form  a  new 
school  party,  a  new  measure  party,  an  old  school  or  an  old  measure,  an 
abolition  or  a  colonization  party,  and  two  things  ensue.  First,  the  com- 
petency of  any  bold  and  ardent  spirit  to  do  all  the  thinking  of  the  party 
is  fully,  though  tacitly  admitted.  His  sentiments  become  the  creed  of 
the  party;  and  woe  to  him  that  reserves  the  right  of  agreeing  with  the 
party  in  some  things  and  of  differing  in  others.  That  woe,  my  dear 
brother,  I  have  experienced;  and  I  expect  some  more  of  it,  if  God  spares 
my  unworthy  life.  The  current  drifting  in  that  direction  is  powerful, 
and  I  expect  not  to  see  it  greatly  changed  in  my  day.  The  second  evil 
is,  that  the  worst  spirits  in  the  party  give  tone  to  its  documents  and 
speeches  and  make  the  gauge  of  emotion  for  the  rest." 

The  very  men  thus  opposed  were  not  silenced  by  any  ex- 
cision of  the  church. 

When  Mr.  Kirk  preached  in  Dr.  Chester's  pulpit,  he  was 
a  firm  believer  in  these  revival  efforts,  as  conducive  to  the 
growth  of  every  church.  The  great  evil  of  the  churches  — 
formalism,  or,  as  it  is  also  termed,  moderatism  —  was  opposed 
by  such  preaching.  The  opposition  of  the  Second  Church 
was  ecclesiastical  and  not  personal.  Such  a  state  of  things 
might  have  taken  place  under  the  preaching  of  any  man,  — 
even  under  the  preaching  of  the  Apostle  Paul. 

The  testimony  of  the  Rev.  Dr.  Darling,  present  pastor  of 
the  Fourth  Church,  is  to  the  point :  — 

"  Heresies  had  gained  a  foot-hold  in  the  church's  inclosure.  The  out- 
ward form  of  Christianity  was  beautiful ;  the  peril  was  altogether  to  her 
inner  life.     The  strong  tendencies  of  the  church  were  toward  ecclesiasti- 


68  LIFE   OF  EDWARD  NORMS   KIRK. 

cism  and  formalism.  Both  her  ministers  and  people  were  quite  prone  to 
be  satisfied  with  the  simple  intellectual  presentation  of  truth.  They  had 
little  or  no  burning  desire  for  the  conversion  of  men;  and  while. not  in 
theory  opposed  to  revivals,  still  practically  did  nothing  towards  their 
promotion." 

The  origin  of  the  Fourth  Church  fell  in  the  best  days  of 
such  men  as  Payson,  Cornelius,  Nettleton,  and  Finney ;  and 
had  for  its  leader  oue  of  the  most  distinguished  men  of  the 
same  stamp  of  piety  with  them.  To  these  men  the  Ameri- 
can' churches  of  to-day  look  up  as  do  the  churches  of  Scotland 
to  Chalmers  and  Guthrie. 

From  the  old  North  Dutch  Church,  the  little  company, 
following  their  pastor,  moved  to  the  hall  over  an  old  tan- 
nery, situated  in  what  was  then  known  as  the  Colonie,  a 
poorer  suburb,  but  now  as  a  choice  portion  of  the  city  for 
residences.  The  tannery  was  between  what  are  now  Jackson 
Street  and  Broadway. 

A  temporary  staircase  led  up  on  the  outside  of  the  build- 
ing. The  windows  had  no  glass,  and  the  seats  were  rough, 
and  had  no  backs.  During  the  summer  months,  and  through 
the  early  autumn,  crowds  flocked  thither.  The  window-sills, 
and  every  other  available  space,  were  occupied  by  eager  lis- 
teners to  the  words  of  eloquence  which  reached  their  souls. 
It  was  no  place  for  the  merely  curious.  It  was  no  place  for 
idlers. 

The  services  of  each  Sabbath,  continued  for  eight  years, 
were  begun  in  this  uncouth  place.  As  suggestive  to  half-day 
worshipers  everywhere,  we  record  them :  — 

8  o'clock.  —  Sunday  Morning  Teachers'  Meeting. 

9  o'clock.  —  Sabbath-school. 

10  o'clock.  —  Preaching  Services. 

1  o'clock.  —  Prayer  Meeting. 

2  o'clock.  —  Sabbath-school.  Second  session,  same  teachers  and 
scholars  attending. 

3  o'clock.  —  Preaching  Services  ;  followed  by  a  half-hour  prayer-meet- 
ing. 

7^  o'clock.  —  Preaching  Services  ;  preceded  by  a  half -hour  prayer- 
meetin<r. 


SETTLEMENT  AND   LABORS   IN  ALBANY.  69 

The  children  were  never  thought  to  be  wearied  by  the  two 
sessions  of  the  Sunday-school,  and  many  of  them  attended 
the  preaching  services  as  regularly  as  their  parents.  Sum- 
mer and  winter,  these  services  were  held  the  same. 

Nothing  was  done  to  attract  the  children  to  the  Sabbath- 
school,  yet  it  was  full  of  the  deepest  interest.  The  great 
aim  of  each  teacher  was  manifest  —  to  bring  the  children 
to  Christ.  As  many  as  forty  or  fifty  were  present  at  the 
teachers'  meetings.  No  festivals  or  anything  of  the  like 
were  ever  held.  The  teachers,  inspired  by  a  noble  example, 
were  themselves  carrying  out  the  scriptural  suggestion,  to 
go  into  the  highways  and  bring  the  children  in. 

Every  first  Monday  evening  in  the  month,  the  Concert  of 
Prayer  for  Missions  was  held,  in  which  they  contributed 
each  month,  for  the  foreign  work  alone,  fifty  dollars.  If  by 
any  delay  of  express  the  amount  was  not  forthcoming  on  a 
certain  day,  the  secretaries  could  discount  it  in  advance  from 
the  bank,  so  sure  were  they  that  it  would  be  sent.  Dr.  Kirk 
was  in  the  habit  of  saying  that  he  judged  the  piety  of  the 
church  by  their  contributions  to  the  missionary  cause. 

In  addition,  two  or  three  social  meetings  were  held  in 
different  neighborhoods,  at  which  the  pastor  was  always 
present.  Once  a  month  he  met  the  children  at  the  mothers' 
meeting.  "  You  would  have  thought,"  says  one,  "  that  he 
was  a  father  of  a  large  family." 

For  weeks,  every  winter  season,  which  was  always  a  time 
of  revival,  a  prayer-meeting  was  held  at  six  o'clock  in  the 
morning,  and  was  well  attended.  Among  the  people  was 
one  old  colored  woman  whose  every  interest  was  centred  in 
the  church  and  her  pastor.  Too  poor  to  own  a  clock,  she 
relied  upon  the  appearance  of  the  sky  for  the  time.  One 
morning  in  the  dead  of  winter  at  two  o'clock,  the  watchman 
found  her  on  the  street,  "  going  to  meeting,"  she  said  in 
reply  to  his  question. 

The  ladies  of  the  church  were  pleased  to  devote  their 
leisure  time  to  a  systematic  distribution  of  tracts. 

The  prayer-meeting  of  ladies,  held  on  the  sorrowful  night 


70  LIFE   OF  EDWARD   NORMS   KIRK. 

after  the  rejection  of  Mr.  Kirk  by  the  Session  of  the  Second 
Church,  is  still  kept  up,  save  that  the  hour  of  meeting  is 
changed.  If,  now  and  again,  its  numbers  grow  small  and 
the  laborers  seem  few,  a  regular  attendant,  looking  back  over 
the  almost  half  a  century,  reminds  the  others  that  such  a 
meeting  can  never  die.  In  the  parlor  of  the  present  elegant 
edifice  of  the  church,  a  picture  of  that  idolized  pastor  is  seen 
to-day ;  and  one  of  the  faithful  says,  "  I  never  enter  the 
room  without  thinking  that  he  must  speak." 

We  have  referred  to  the  neighborhood.  It  was  composed 
chiefly  of  the  poorer  houses,  with  here  and  there  one  of  a 
more  pretending  appearance.  The  first  sign  of  the  influence 
of  the  church  upon  the  community  was  manifest  when  people 
began  to  paint  their  houses  and  fences. 

The  church  was  a  family.  Every  member  was  cared  for. 
It  was  originated  upon  the  divine  truth,  "  it  is  more  blessed 
to  give  than  to  receive ; "  and  this  characteristic  it  has  never 
lost.  Referring  to  the  noble  work  then  carried  on,  Stephen 
Van  Rensselaer,  the  wealthy  patroon  of  a  manor  twenty-four 
miles  in  length  on  the  east  and  west  banks  of  the  river,  said, 
"  Mr.  Kirk  has  doubled  the  value  of  my  property  in  the 
city."  The  patroon  was  always  a  liberal  contributor  to  the 
young  church. 

Like  Chalmers  in  Glasgow,  Kirk  in  Albany  gave  himself 
to  the  most  unwearied  efforts  among  all  classes.  The 
wealthiest  and  the  poorest  found  in  him  a  real  sympathy. 
Dwellings  of  the  lowly  were  cheered  by  his  visits.  They 
spread  their  tables  that  he  might  eat  with  them.  The  little 
children  found  a  welcome  as  he  held  them  upon  his  knee  and 
told  them  of  Him  who  took  just  such  as  they  in  his  arms  to 
bless  them.  And  then,  gathering  the  whole  family  around 
him,  he  would  lead  them  in  prayer.  In  these  conversations, 
as  in  his  more  public  exercises,  "  his  voice  and  manner  car- 
ried the  truth,"  and,  as  for  his  prayers,  "  they  were  always 
equal  to  a  sermon." 

He  called  the  members  of  his  converts'  class  by  their  first 
names.     "  Maria,"  said  he  to  one  of  the  few  among  the  ear- 


SETTLEMENT  AND  LABORS  IN  ALBANY.       71 

liest  who  yet  survive,  "  do  you  think  you  have  seen  the 
worst  of  your  own  heart  ?  "  "  Oh,  yes  !  "  was  her  honest  an- 
swer ;  when  he  replied,  "  My  dear  child,  you  little  know  yet 
what  is  in  your  heart." 

Upon  one  of  the  many  occasions  in  which  he  preached  to 
the  students  of  Union  College  he  took  for  a  theme  The  Self- 
ishness of  Man.  At  the  close  of  the  sermon,  a  student  said 
to  him,  "I  think  I  am  not  selfish."  Mr.  Kirk  asked  him  if 
he  would  examine  the  motive  of  every  act  during  the  day 
and  then  declare  what  he  thought  of  it.  That  same  night 
the  young  man  came  back  exclaiming,  in  half  confession  and 
half  prayer,  "  My  God  !  it  is  all  true ;  every  act  I  have  done 
has  been  from  selfishness."  This  underlying  principle  of 
selfishness  in  the  human  heart,  was  the  thing  oftenest  ex- 
posed in  his  sermons  and  conversations. 

A  lady  who  had  known  him  in  boyhood,  upon  removing 
from  New  York  was  lost  sight  of  for  many  years.  Upon 
learning  of  her  residence,  and  calling  upon  her  in  her  weak- 
ness, he  engaged  in  conversation  and  prayer.  "  Such  a 
prayer,"  said  she,  after  he  had  gone,  "  I  never  heard  before, 
and  shall  never  hear  again ;  but  oh,  the  voice !  I  think  of 
it  every  day ;  I  seem  to  hear  it  now."  She  continued,  "  Such 
a  voice  !  it  lives  with  me.     I  thank  God  I  heard  it." 

And  yet  to  those  who  have  seen  him  not  even  the  words 
or  the  voice  and  tone  were  all.  Many  have  sympathized 
with  the  deaf  old  Dutch  woman  who,  unable  to  catch  a  sin- 
gle word,  would  come  to  the  evening  meeting  and  sit  in  the 
front  seat  that  she  might  look  at  him ;  for,  said  she,  "  I 
could  not  hear  him,  but  I  knew  it  was  all  good." 

His  sermons  were  models  of  directness  and  impassioned 
eloquence,  ill-suited  to  calm  the  thoughtless.  He  was  un- 
sparing, as  always  afterwards,  in  his  attacks  upon  sin  in  all 
its  forms.  Upon  one  occasion,  a  lady  by  no  means  friendly 
accompanied  her  neighbor  to  a  service  in  which  he  took  for 
his  text,  "  Suppose  ye  that  these  were  sinners,"  etc.  By  a 
profound  analysis  he  laid  the  human  heart  so  completely 
open  that  the  lady  angrily  remarked  to  the  kind  neighbor, 


72  LITE  OF  EDWARD  NORMS   KIRK. 

"  Don't  you  ever  ask  me  to  come  here  again !  You  have 
told  him  all  about  me,  and  he  has  been  preaching  to  me  all 
this  evening." 

It  was  his  habit  to  deal  alike  with  the  severer  and  the 
gentler  doctrines  of  the  Scriptures.  His  habits  of  medita- 
tion and  fasting  and  prayer  prepared  him,  as  the  like  did 
President  Edwards,  to  preach  with  the  deepest  tenderness 
upon  every  theme.  He  was  wholly  absorbed  in  his  great 
work  of  declaring  the  gospel.  Upon  one  occasion,  as  he 
was  in  the  study  of  the  Rev.  Dr.  Joel  Parker,  of  New  York, 
a  young  man  was  admitted  to  converse  with  the  doctor  about 
entering  upon  the  work  of  the  Christian  ministry.  Dr. 
Parker  called  the  attention  of  Mr.  Kirk  to  the  case  of  the 
young  man.  His  plain  Saxon  words  found  a  lodgment  not 
to  be  forgotten :  "  Any  young  man  who  follows  merchandise 
when  he  might  preach  the  gospel,  is  doing  little  better  than 
tending  swine  for  the  devil." 

The  grossest  misrepresentations  were  made  and  circulated 
concerning  the  methods  and  subjects  of  his  pulpit  exercises, 
yet  crowds  flocked  to  hear  him  every  Sabbath,  hungry  for 
the  plain  gospel  truths  that  he  declared.  His  preaching  was 
earnestness  itself,  but  not  boisterousness.  His  manner  was 
quiet  and  persuasive,  manifesting  his  constant  communion 
with  God.  The  following  passage  from  his  diary  exhibits 
his  interior  life  at  this  time  :  — 

"June  16th.  — I  am  greatly  beset  with  this  temptation.  We  have  just 
commenced  worship  in  our  new  building.  More  people  of  intelligence  and 
high  standing  attend  the  services  with  us  than  ever  before.  I  preached 
last  Sabbath  evening  from  John  viii.  44,  proving  that  sinners  are  the 
children  of  the  devil.  The  Lord  enabled  me  to  handle  a  sharp  weapon. 
'Now,'  says  Satan  (and  some  of  my  dear  good  friends  have  cooperated 
with  him),  'why  not  preach  in  another  strain  just  now?  You  will  se- 
cure the  attendance  of  those  people  and  do  more  good  in  the  end.'  I 
call  this  a  temptation,  because  I  can  write  sermons  of  a  popular  charac- 
ter with  great  ease.  But  the  others  demand  more  prayer  and  thought, 
and  a  holier  frame  of  soul.  My  reasons  for  not  preaching  such  ser- 
mons are  reasons  of  duty  and  of  expediency.  If  the  first  can  be  deter- 
mined, it  is  sufficient;  but  I  think  that  there  is  expediency  as  well  as  duty, 
in  keeping  up  a  continued  fire  from  the  heaviest  battery  of  heaven  upon 


SETTLEMENT  AND  LABORS  IN  ALBANY.       73 

the  consciences  of  sinners.  I  may  be  mistaken,  but  my  view  of  duty  is 
tbis:  I  am  bound,  in  justice  to  Him  who  commissioned  me,  to  lay  bis 
claims,  in  their  length  and  breadth,  before  his  rebellious  creatures,  every 
time  I  meet  them.  I  must  not  rest  until  God's  glory  becomes  my  heart's 
chief  desire." 

Mr.  Kirk  never  forgot  his  mission  nor  the  solemnity  of  his 
calling.  He  could  never  be  said  to  merit  the  contemptuous 
remark  of  Dr.  Johnson  to  Beauclerk,  made  in  a  company  of 
clergymen  "  assuming  the  lax  jollity  of  men  of  the  world," 
"This  merriment  of  parsons  is  mighty  offensive."  His 
whole  being  was  absorbed  in  a  purpose  like  that  which 
Horace  Mann  has  expressed  :  "  Be  ashamed  to  die  until  you 
have  won  some  victory  for  humanity." 

Tn  the  accomplishment  of  such  a  work  he  knew  no  fear. 
His  pulpit  was  open  to  the  Rev.  Mr.  Finney,  while  every 
other  in  the  city  was  closed  against  him.  Moral  reforms 
were  frequent  themes  of  his  pulpit.  His  sole  aim  was  to 
make  men  better. 

Yet  the  opposition  still  increased.  When  the  forty  had 
come  off  from  the  Second  Church,  some  one  remarked, 
"  The  Second  Church  has  had  a  good  skimming."  "  Yes," 
said  another,  "  it  is  very  important  to  skim  off  the  cream." 

The    Rev.   Dr.  declared    the   converts    in  the   Fourth 

Church  to  be  all  spurious.  A  prominent  Dutch  pastor 
openly  denounced  Mr.  Kirk  as  a  "  heretic."  An  honest  old 
lady  said  to  one  who  had  gone  from  their  inclosure,  "  You 
are  going  to  a  rotten  church."  Roughs  of  the  city,  taking 
advantage  of  the  ecclesiastical  opposition,  were  unsparing  of 
expedients  by  which  to  throw  contempt  upon  "  the  pepper- 
box," as  the  church  was  called,  partly  from  the  peculiar 
shape  of  its  steeple,  and  partly  from  the  pungency  of  the 
doctrines  proclaimed  in  its  pulpit. 

For  years,  as  he  has  himself  told  us,  the  clergy  of  the 
whole  city  refused  him  their  pulpits.  We  make  but  one  ex- 
ception in  the  case  of  Dr.  Welsh,  of  the  Baptist  Church. 
Side  by  side,  these  two  men  of  God  worked  on,  their  houses 
always  filled.     To  express  the  influence  of  Dr.  Welsh,  Elder 


74  LIFE   OF  EDWARD  NORRIS   KIRK. 

Knapp  quaintly  said,  "  When  his  pot  boiled  over,  he  com- 
pelled the  other  churches  to  set  theirs  going."  To  the 
preaching  of  these  two  men  was  owing  one  of  the  greatest 
revivals  ever  known  among  the  churches  of  Albany. 

Thus  Mr.  Kirk  experienced  what  every  devoted  minister 
of  the  Lord  must  expect,  —  opposition  amounting  to  perse- 
cution. There  is  a  moral  in  the  scene  where  Paul  with- 
stood Peter  to  his  face ;  it  was  a  scene  to  be  repeated 
many  times  in  later  history.  What  his  biographer  says  of 
Dr.  Emmons,  is  true  the  world  over  in  the  life  of  every  most 
honored  servant  of  the  Master,  "  He  buffeted  a  strong  cur- 
rent all  his  days,  both  in  the  church  and  the  world."  The 
name  of  George  Whitefield  is  still  honored  notwithstanding 
the  fact  that  almost  every  church  was  closed  against  him  ; 
and  notwithstanding  the  "testimonial"  issued  by  the  learned 
Harvard  College  against  his  piety.  It  is  a  sad  commen- 
tary upon  ecclesiasticism,  that  the  bishops  and  clergy  in 
council  assembled  —  tools  of  a  corrupt  empress  —  silenced 
the  voice  of  the  great  Chrysostom.  Turning  to  the  life  of 
the  honored  F.  W.  Roberston,  we  read  that  "  because  he 
dared  to  be  different  from  the  rest  of  the  world,"  the  stings 
of  slander  pierced  his  soul ;  until,  from  the  enmity  of  those 
who  should  have  been  friends,  he  died  in  the  belief  that  his 
career  had  been  a  failure.  The  life  of  President  Finney  is 
another  recent  proof  of  the  same  truth.  Great  men  and 
good  men  have  often  led  the  opposition,  yet  greatness  and 
goodness  sometimes  cover  a  profound  self-deception  in  the 
hearts  of  those  who  sincerely  think  they  are  doing  God's  ser- 
vice. "  For  three  years,"  Mr.  Kirk  said  afterwards  (in  his 
farewell  sermon),  "  I  walked  the  streets  of  this  city  feel- 
ing as  if  by  God's  command  I  was  an  intruder  here.  I  have 
felt  as  if  the  very  houses  frowned  upon  me.  Cheerfully 
would  I  have  fled  and  hid  myself,  like  Elijah,  in  a  cave  ; 
but  the  very  style  of  the  ojjposition  showed  clearly  that  the 
controversy  was  with  God  and  his  word,  not  with  the  lips  of 
clay  which  uttered  it."  History  only  repeated  in  his  case 
what  is  recorded  of  Dr.  Emmons,  unlike  as  were  the  two 


SETTLEMENT  AND  LABORS  IN  ALBANY.       75 

men :  "  He  lived  to  silence  the  murmurs  of  his  enemies,  and 
to  stand  before  the  world  an  object  of  almost  universal  re- 
spect." "  That  is  the  kind  of  preaching  that  men  ought  to 
hear,"  was  the  verdict  of  Judge  Conkling,  who  was  "de- 
lighted with  Mr.  Kirk,  and  found  him  to  be  a  scholar." 

The  explanation  of  this  altered  feeling  is  plain  enough 
when  we  come  to  realize  the  spirit  in  which  he  actually 
worked,  and  see  what  his  "  new  measures  "  actually  were. 
Instead  of  depending  upon  the  neighboring  pastors,  the 
whole  dependence  of  the  church  was  on  prayer  ;  in  this  lay 
the  secret  of  their  strength.  From  Buffalo  to  Albany  in- 
cessant prayer  ascended  to  God  for  the  young  church  and 
its  young  pastor,  and  richly  those  prayers  were  answered. 
Assembling  in  school-houses,  in  vestrys  kindly  lent  to  them, 
and  in  the  old  tannery ;  going  to  meeting  through  mud 
ankle-deep ;  the  Fourth  Church  of  Albany  passed  such  a  sea- 
son as  it  will  probably  never  see  again.  Then  began  a  series 
of  revivals  which  made  heaven  and  earth  come  into  their  joys. 
Prayer  was  the  breath  of  the  young  band.  "  Vivid  is  the 
recollection  of  the  midnight  hour,"  recalled  Dr.  Kirk,  forty 
years  later,  "  when  I  was  aroused  from  sleep  by  Edward 
Corning,  afterward  mayor  of  Brooklyn,  to  meet  the  first  in- 
quirer that  God  had  sent  as  the  seal  of  my  ministry.  The 
tide  then  began  to  flow.  For  eight  years  it  was  a  steady 
flow  ;  with  the  fluctuations  of  a  tide,  but  with  its  constant 
recurrence.  The  first  continuous  meeting  I  ever  attended 
was  held  in  the  church,  in  Troy,  of  which  Dr.  Beman  was 
pastor.  Following  the  example  of  the  churches  in  Scotland, 
we  had  supposed  four  days  was  the  proper  time  to  devote 
to  such  a  service.  But  the  fact  was,  that  at  the  end  of  the 
fourth  day  we  found  the  people's  minds  had  barely  reached 
the  point  of  concentrated  attention.  We  saw  that  the  iron 
was  now  heated,  and  the  time  for  effective  blows  had  come. 
But  our  superstitious  idea  for  the  four  days  prevailed  against 
our  better  judgment,  and  the  service  was  closed  on  Monday 
night. 

"  On   Friday,  I  received  a  message  from  Troy,  — '  The 


76  LIFE   OF  EDWARD  NORMS   KIRK. 

Lord  is  here ;  come  and  help  us.'  I  found  the  chapel  full, 
and  preached  from  the  words  of  Jesus,  '  Ye  must  be  born 
again.'  There  had  been  three  young  men  in  the  city,  two 
of  them  law  students,  one  a  student  of  medicine.  Hearing 
of  the  meeting,  Yates  (one  of  the  law  students)  said  to  his 
friends,  '  Fellows,  let 's  go  and  see  the  revival !  I  '11  be  the 
bell-wether,  and  if  I  jump  over  the  fence,  you  '11  see  the 
people  follow  me  like  sheep  ; '  —  one  of  the  many  prophecies 
jocosely  uttered,  seriously  fulfilled.  I  had  reached  the  clos- 
ing part  of  my  discourse,  when  a  stranger  to  me  arose  in  the 
middle  of  the  house,  with  an  earnest  manner,  and  ap- 
proached the  desk.  Surprised,  I  paused,  waiting  for  the 
sequel.  It  was  Yates,  an  avowed  infidel,  a  scoffer.  Reach- 
ing the  desk,  he  turned  and  faced  the  audience,  remarking, 
'  Friends,  you  know  me  ;  you  know  what  I  have  been. 
When  a  wrong  has  been  done,  it  becomes  the  wrong-doer  to 
make  his  confession  as  public  as  his  crime.  I  have  wronged 
the  Son  of  God,  my  Saviour  ;  I  have  wronged  his  disciples 
publicly.  As  publicly,  I  confess  my  sin.  I  repent  of  it. 
I  here  give  myself  to  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  henceforth  to 
love  and  serve  Him.'  He  did  '  leap  over  the  fence  ; '  they 
did  '  follow  him.'  '  Come,  sinners,  come  with  me  and  give 
yourselves  unto  the  blessed  Saviour,'  he  exclaimed.  At  least 
forty  clustered  around  him,  as  they  kneeled  in  the  aisle, 
while  the  church  bowed  herself  in  prayer  for  them.  Glo- 
riously did  the  tide  of  salvation  then  roll  over  the  people  ; 
and  it  was  said  of  Troy,  as  of  old  Samaria,  '  There  was  joy 
in  that  city.'  " 

One  of  the  most  effective  instrumentalities,  apparently, 
was  the  assembling  in  private  houses  without  formality,  at 
any  convenient  hour,  for  prayer  and  directing  inquirers. 

The  question  of  undue  religious  excitement,  as  involved 
in  preaching  of  that  "  revival  "  sort  which  was  characteristic 
of  Mr.  Kirk,  was  not  overlooked  by  him.  It  is  a  question 
deserving  serious  attention  and  careful  treatment,  and,  as  a 
contribution  towards  its  solution,  we  quote  here  his  own 
views.     He  says :  — 


SETTLEMENT  AND   LABORS  LN   ALBANY.  77 

"  Early  in  the  history  of  the  Fourth  Church,  I  was  startled  by  two  oc- 
currences which  brought  before  me  the  inquiry,  '  Are  you  not  producing 
too  much  excitement?  '  The  first  case  was  that  of  an  intelligent  young 
lady,  who,  while  Dr.  Parker  of  New  York  was  preaching,  fell  to  the  floor 
in  a  swoon.  The  other  was  the  case  of  a  man  in  middle  life.  He  had 
published  something  which  impeached  the  character  of  two  leading  mem- 
bers of  our  church.  Discovering  his  mistake,  unwilling  to  confess  to 
them,  he  sought  to  pacify  his  conscience  by  attending  one  of  our  special 
services.  The  arrow  of  the  Almighty  pierced  him.  He  retired  from 
the  meeting,  shut  himself  in  his  counting-room;  and  the  next  I  heard  of 
him  was  that  he  was  crazy. 

"I  had  entered  the  ministry  under  the  impression  that  the  truths  of 
the  Bible  were  designed  to  reach  the  human  mind  in  each  of  its  de- 
partments; that  the  intellect  must  perceive  the  truths  it  proclaims, 
which  truths  are  addressed  directly  to  the  emotional  faculties;  and  that, 
through  the  reason  and  the  feelings,  the  will  must  be  brought  to  a  right 
decision.  A  God  of  infinite  majesty,  power,  holiness,  justice,  and  mercy, 
is  there  presented;  a  hell  of  interminable  shame,  anguish  and  despair; 
a  heaven  of  unending  joy  and  unsullied  perfection;  a  cross  of  bleeding 
love;  an  enemy  of  angelic  subtlety  and  fiendish  malice;  a  gate,  difficult 
of  entrance,  opening  on  a  narrow  road  to  heaven;  a  gate,  broad  and  en- 
ticing, popular  and  accommodating,  opening  on  a  road  suited  to  every 
variety  of  taste,  but  ending  in  the  second  death.  If  men  were  to  hear 
these  truths  —  if  the  preacher,  while  preaching,  were  himself  to  be  look- 
ing at  these  realities,  I  could  not  conceive  how  it  would  be  possible  for 
him  or  his  hearers  to  put  their  emotional  natures  in  a  sack,  and  keep 
them  out  of  the  range  of  these  overwhelming  realities.  I  accordingly 
aimed  to  reach  the  emotions,  and  shall  while  I  live. 

"But  what  shall  I  do  with  cases  like  these?  If  women  are  to 
swoon,  and  men  turn  lunatics,  under  your  preaching,  there  must  be 
something  wrong.  Just  then  I  met  a  book  written  by  a  clergyman  in 
Vermont,  describing  the  influence  of  the  imagination.  I  remember 
nothing  of  it  but  that  it  confirmed  my  belief  that  no  man  was  ever  made 
crazy  merely  by  believing  that  what  God  says  is  true,  —  by  being  af- 
frighted when  Christ  says,  'I  tell  you  whom  ye  shall  fear,'  etc.,  nor  by 
rejoicing  when  God  says,  '  Rejoice  always.' 

"  But  I  entered  at  once  upon  an  examination  of  these  cases.  I  found  1 
that  the  young  lady  had  been  indulging  in  the  use  of  sugar-candy  until 
her  appetite  for  solid  food  was  entirely  destroyed,  and  her  nervous  sys- 
tem entirely  unstrung.  I  concluded  it  was  the  candy,  and  not  the  gos- 
pel, that  threw  her  to  the  floor.  I  found  the  man  had  brought  his  ner- 
vous system  into  a  very  abnormal  condition  by  the  use  of  tobacco.  It  is 
my  present  impression  that  he  went  to  his  counting-room  under  a  deep 
consciousness  of  sin,  and  passed  two  days  alone,  eating  nothing  but  a 


78  LIFE   OF  EDWAED  NORMS   KIRK. 

few  crackers.  On  the  morning  of  the  third  day  he  accepted  Christ  as 
his  Saviour,  and  experienced  a  joy  which  his  nervous  system  could  not 
bear.  But  the  judicious  care  of  a  kind  physician  in  one  day  restored 
the  lost  balance.  I  concluded,  in  this  case,  it  was  the  tobacco,  and  not 
the  gospel,  which  unbalanced  him. 
y^  "Religious  Melancholy.  —  Subsequent  observation  has  brought 
me  to  two  conclusions  on  this  subject:  that  cases  of  mania  attributed  to 
religious  causes  should  largely  be  interpreted  as  cause  and  effect  in  the 
inverse  direction;  that  the  mind  deranged,  from  whatever  cause,  natu- 
rally is  affected  and  occupied  by  subjects  containing  the  elements  of 
grandeur  and  awfulness ;  and  that  a  deranged  mind  occupied  with  relig- 
ious subjects  is  no  more  a  cause  for  man's  neglecting  religion  than  de- 
rangements from  commercial  excitement,  or  the  social  affections,  are 
reasons  for  neglecting  commerce,  or  refusing  to  exercise  the  social  affec- 
tions." 

After  the  success  of  the  meeting  in  Troy,  it  became  a 
custom  with  the  new  church  to  hold  continuous  meetings  for 
preaching  and  prayer,  in  which  the  pastor  was  aided  by 
the  men  whom  he  judged  best  adapted  as  instruments  of  the 
Holy  Spirit  to  awaken  the  conscience  and  lead  the  soul  to 
Christ.  "  I  honor,"  he  declared  in  his  reminiscences,  "  the 
memories  of  those  faithful  servants  of  God  by  whom  the 
ministry  was  regarded  as  God's  instrument  of  producing 
immediate  and  immortal  changes,  —  the  same  instrumen- 
tality in  the  year  1829  that  it  was  in  the  year  33  ;  their 
work  only  a  continuation  of  Peter's  work  when  three  thou- 
sand were  converted  under  his  preaching  in  one  day ;  who 
regarded  the  apostolic  succession  to  be  most  fully  mani- 
fested in  those  whose  labors  produced  the  same  results  as 
those  of  the  apostles." 

Yet  this  very  method  of  working,  like  the  divinest  things 
that  man  handles,  is  liable  to  be  stained  and  marred  by  his 
touch.  To  quote  Dr.  Kirk's  own  words :  "  The  evil  I  dis- 
cover, in  reviewing  the  history  of  these  movements,  was  not 
that  which  very  many  have  attributed  to  them,  and  which 
they  have  designated  as  '  doing  up  the  religion  of  the  year,' 
and  '  lessening  the  regard  for  the  ordinary  services,'  but  the 
indolent,  mechanical  reliance  on  special  means,  without  that 
special   personal   heart-preparation  which    God    requires  to 


SETTLEMENT  AND   LABORS   IN  ALBANY.  79 

make  them  successful.  With  gratitude  and  love  I  record 
the  names  of  Beinan,  Lansing,  Parker,  Clarke,  and  others 
who  thus  labored  with  me  in  the  gospel.  The  Fourth 
Church,  as  it  was  then  called,  was  sternly  opposed  ;  but 
God  enabled  us  to  gain  the  esteem  and  confidence  of  our  fel- 
low-citizens, not  by  retaliation  or  efforts  at  self-vindication, 
but  by  a  steady  pursuance  of  the  work  the  Lord  had  as- 
signed us." 

Among  his  earliest  efforts,  Mr.  Kirk  became  engaged  in 
behalf  of  the  young  men  of  the  city.  He  was  one  of  the 
first  to  move  for  the  founding  of  a  Young  Men's  Associa- 
tion, or  Lyceum,  taking  the  preparatory  steps  in  their  behalf 
and  never  withholding  his  assistance.  This  association, 
founded  almost  fifty  years  ago,  still  exists,  a  power  in  the 
city. 

Kindred  with  this  effort  was  another,  made  later,  in 
behalf  of  total  abstinence  from  intoxicating  drinks.  To 
advocate  this  was  almost  as  unpopular  as  to  be  an  abolition- 
ist ;  and  it  is  a  curious  fact,  that  the  men  who  advocated 
the  one  were  usually  advocates  of  the  other.  We  listen  to 
his  own  narrative  :  — 

"  When  I  read  the  address  of  Dr.  Hewitt  of  Bridgeport  to  the  Gen- 
eral Assembly  of  the  Presbyterian  Church  (about  1832),  urging  them  to 
abstain  from  the  use  of  spirituous  liquors  and  beverages,  I  was  indignant. 
This  appeared  a  fanatical  infringement  on  individual  rights  and  personal 
liberty.  In  his  address,  and  in  that  spontaneous  feeling  of  one  human 
heart,  lay  the  whole  germ  of  the  history  of  the  temperance  reformation. 
He  had  been  made  to  observe  the  effects  of  intoxicating  beverages  not 
as  a  philosophic  spectator.  Days,  months,  and  years  had  God  been 
schooling  him,  and  training  him  as  a  champion  in  the  work  of  reform. 
In  the  sacred  circle  of  the  family  (his  father's)  had  he  witnessed  with 
shame,  with  filial  sympathy,  with  anguish,  the  practical  effects  of  the 
wide-spread  custom  of  using  intoxicating  beverages.  No  opposition,  no 
threats  of  personal  injury,  could  intimidate  him.  No  subtle  plea  for 
vending  or  for  using  could  change  the  convictions  wrought  into  his  soul 
by  years  of  agony,  reflection,  and  prayer.  His  was  the  eloquence  of  a 
heart  on  fire,  of  a  logic  the  result  of  profound  reflection,  of  a  will  that 
must  conquer  or  die..  Zeal  for  God,  zeal  for  the  relief  of  hearts  agonized 
as  his  had  been,  zeal  of  compassion  for  those  who,  like  the  demoniac  of 


80  LIFE   OF  EDWARD   NORRIS   KIRK. 

Gadara,  were  wandering  among  the  tombs,  cutting  their  own  flesh, 
breaking  every  chain  of  obligation  which  bound  them  to  their  God  and 
their  fellows,  —  this  was  Dr.  H.  before  the  General  Assembly,  a  rep- 
resentative of  the  noble  men  who  commenced  this  great  reform.  I  was 
no  drinker  —  had  no  special  desire  to  use  intoxicating  beverages.  But 
when  I  saw  this  man  dictating  to  me  what  I  should  eat  and  drink,  de- 
nouncing me  as  a  soul-murderer,  I  felt  my  right  invaded.  And  when  he 
pleaded  with  tears,  I  could  recognize  nothing  but  a  fanatic.  Thus  we 
two  were  representatives  of  the  two  classes  to  this  day  which  respect- 
ively favor  and  uphold  the  temperance  reform. 

"He  understood  the  subject;  he  saw  its  various  and  vast  relations 
between  the  individual  and  social  welfare;  he  felt  the  pressure  of  a 
heaven-sent  commission.  I  was  sitting  in  my  nut-shell,  seeing  nothing, 
feeling  nothing  in  the  case  but  my  right  to  drink  a  glass  of  brandy  and 
water  when  I  should  choose.  But  the  train  of  reflection  was  started. 
The  field  of  death  was  soon  open  to  my  view.  Scenes  of  domestic 
misery,  the  ravings  of  the  mad-house,  the  reports  of  police  officers,  the 
army  of  thirty  thousand  slain  annually  with  this  tremendous  weapon, 
the  paralysis  of  industry,  the  exposure  of  life  and  property  and  all 
public  interests  by  the  drunkenness  of  drivers,  engineers,  physicians, 
legislators,  even  clergymen, — these  soon  transformed  the  objector  into 
an  advocate." 

In  1833  the  National  Temperance  Convention,  held  in 
Philadelphia,  would  advance  no  farther  than  to  exclude 
brandy  and  rum.  One  old  doctor  of  divinity  said  that  these 
were  "  good  creatures  of  God,"  and,  while  men  must  be 
temperate  in  using  them,  he  for  one  could  not  give  them  up. 

The  cause  had  made  slow  progress.  Up  to  1826  a  ship 
or  a  house  could  not  be  built,  a  wedding  celebrated,  a  child 
born,  a  funeral  attended,  a  military  display  made,  or  any 
mechanical  or  mercantile  business  prosecuted,  without  the 
use  of  intoxicants  in  some  form.  And  as  for  cultivating  the 
farm  and  getting  in  the  hay  without  rum,  it  seemed  just  as 
impossible  as  getting  a  harvest  without  planting. 

The  clergy  generally  were  no  exceptions.  The  Mendon 
Association,  of  which  the  Rev.  Dr.  Emmons  was  the  stand- 
ing moderator,  regaled  themselves  with  liquors  as  regularly 
as  with  food.  Upon  the  31st  of  October,  1826,  this  associa- 
tion passed  the  following  vote  :  "  Voted,  that  it  be  the  rule 
of    this  association  that  no  ardent  spirits  be   presented  at 


SETTLEMENT  AND  LABORS  IN  ALBANY.       81 

their  meetings."  The  origin  of  this  vote  was  given  in  the 
following  incident :  — 

The  host  of  the  association,  the  Rev.  James  O.  Barney, 
then  of  Seekonk,  went  into  Providence  on  the  day  preceding 
the  meeting,  to  procure  the  due  assortment  of  spirits  which 
immemorial  usage  had  made  an  important  part  of  his  prep- 
aration. He  accomplished  his  object,  and  at  sunset  com- 
menced his  return  with  a  choice  variety  of  liquors.  Driving 
rapidly  out  of  the  city  in  his  haste  to  reach  home,  he  was 
startled  from  his  reverie  by  the  loud  laughter  of  some  men 
upon  the  staging  round  a  new  house  in  the  outskirts  of  the 
city. 

Instantly  thinking  of  his  freight,  he  looked  behind  him, 
when  lo !  fragments  of  jugs,  demijohns,  and  bottles,  were 
dancing  in  and  out  of  the  basket,  and  a  ruby  stream  of 
wines,  brandies,  and  cordials,  was  allaying  the  excited  dust 
of  the  street.  What  was  to  be  done  ?  Should  he  go  back 
and  replenish,  or  take  it  as  a  providential  hint,  and  go  on  ? 
The  lateness  of  the  hour  decided  him  to  proceed,  and  to 
state  the  calamity  to  the  venerable  body  when  they  should 
assemble.  He  did  so,  and  they  took  the  hint,  and  promptly 
banished  the  sideboard  from  their  meetings. 

The  Rev.  Mr.  Barney,  from  whom,  in  his  advanced  age, 
these  facts  were  received,  thus  writes  in  closing  his  nar- 
ration :  "  I  have  lived  to  see  and  watch  the  rise,  progress, 
and  blessed  fruits  of  the  temperance  cause  ;  and  what  I  once 
regarded  as  a  calamity  to  me,  in  the  loss  of  my  liquor,  God 
overruled  to  be  one  of  the  greatest  favors  He  has  conferred 
upon  the  clergy,  the  church,  and  the  world." 

It  was  but  a  few  years  later  when  Mr.  Kirk  became 
a  believer  in  total  abstinence.  Every  great  reform,  and 
especially  this,  moves  slowly.  Appeals  to  the  example  of 
the  clergy  were  made  on  all  sides  against  the  principle  ;  and 
to  advocate  it  in  the  face  of  such  a  public  opinion  was  to 
take  an  unpopular  course.  Yet,  once  convinced,  he  was 
ready  for  his  work,  and  that,  too,  in  the  city  some  of  whose 
young  men,  less  than  a  generation  before,  had  presented 

6 


82  LIFE   OF  EDWARD  NORRIS   KIRK. 

their  popular  pastor,  Eliphalet  Nott,  with  a  cask  of  wine  as 
a  mark  of  their  esteem. 

During  the  five  years  from  his  change  of  conviction  to  the 
close  of  his  pastorate  in  Albany,  Mr.  Kirk  delivered  ninety 
temperance  addresses  in  forty-nine  different  towns,  from 
Boston  to  Buffalo,  and  from  Montreal  to  Philadelphia.  He 
was  a  leader  in  the  great  work  which  had  already  commenced 
in  Albany.  As  member  of  a  committee  with  the  Hon.  Brad- 
ford R.  Wood  (since  minister  to  Denmark)  and  Mr.  George 
Dawson  of  the  "  Albany  Evening  Journal,"  he  prepared  the 
first  total  abstinence  address  ever  made  in  the  State  of  New 
York  ;  and  this  same  address  he  afterwards  rewrote  for  Mr. 
Delavan  as  the  first  national  address  upon  temperance  in  the 
country. 

At  the  close  of  a  brilliant  speech  in  the  old  capitol,  before 
members  of  the  State  Legislature,  in  which  the  orator  car- 
ried conviction  among  his  hearers,  Chief  Justice  Savage  said 
of  the  society  then  •  in  existence,  "  I  will  become  a  temper- 
ance man  now  that  you  include  all  intoxicating  drinks."  As 
a  result  of  this  address,  the  Young  Men's  State  Convention 
held  at  Utica  in  1834,  Bradford  R.  Wood  president,  took 
total  abstinence  ground. 

We  transcribe  an  autobiographic  account  of  one  meeting 
of  the  many :  — 

"  On  one  occasion  I  was  invited  to  visit  the  town  of  Amenia,  in 
Dutchess  County,  and  make  an  address  on  temperance.  On  landing  at 
Poughkeepsie  I  was  met  by  a  gentleman,  a  physician  resident  in  Ame- 
nia, who  informed  me  that  I  was  about  to  '  beard  the  lion  in  his  den,  the 
Douglas  in  his  hall ;  '  and  that  it  was  the  most  thoroughly  anti-temper- 
ance neighborhood  in  the  county;  tbat  his  ornamental  trees  had  been 
burnt  down,  bee-hives  destroyed,  and  his  family  so  annoyed  on  account 
of  his  advocacy  of  the  reform,  that  he  was  going  to  remove  his  family 
from  the  town.  As  we  were  riding  to  bis  house,  we  passed  a  building, 
the  upper  room  of  which  he  said  was  the  court  room  in  which  I  was  to 
speak.  Whiskey  was  there  literally  the  foundation  of  justice;  for  the 
whole  lower  story  was  lined  with  barrels  of  spirituous  liquors,  leaving  only 
room  for  a  narrow  staircase  to  reach  the  tribunal  of  justice. 

"  At  the  appointed  hour  the  doctor  accompanied  me  to  this  court  house. 
The  grog-shop  was  filled  to  overflowing  with  the  worshipers  of  Diana, 


SETTLEMENT  AND  LABORS  IN  ALBANY.       83 

fearing  that  their  craft  was  in  clanger.  On  entering  the  premises,  I 
gathered  these  facts  from  what  I  heard :  that  they  had  a  leader  who  bore 
the  appellation  of  Uncle  John  ;  that  there  was  a  cursed  Presbyterian 
minister  coming  there  that  night,  to  lie  about  them,  to  call  them  hard 
names,  and  solely  for  a  political  purpose.  I  proceeded  to  the  upper 
chamber.  My  audience  consisted  of  the  doctor,  in  front  of  me,  and  a 
man  and  woman  in  the  corner.  Two  candles  illuminated  the  room,  and 
I  was  going  to  speak  from  manuscript.  I  was  obliged  to  organize  a  desk. 
I  found  a  tea-chest,  placed  it  on  the  bench,  the  candle  and  the  address 
on  the  desk.  I  sat  calmly  conscious  of  rectitude,  but  very  doubtful  about 
my  success.  Suddenly  the  vociferation  below  was  hushed,  and  the  tramp- 
ing on  the  staircase  commenced.  Leading  the  troop,  appeared  two  men, 
one  of  large  frame  with  a  great  horse-whip  in  his  hand,  flanked  by  a  little 
man  to  my  imagination  a  country  lawyer.  I  had  been  informed,  before 
coming  to  the  place,  that  the  probability  was  I  should  be  mobbed.  This 
looked  to  me  like  the  beginning  of  the  process.  The  lower  hall  was 
emptied,  and  my  room  was  filled.  I  arose  and  said,  with  a  little  choking 
in  the  utterance,  '  Gentlemen  ! '  but  they  took  the  appellation  in  good 
faith. 

"  For  forty  minutes  it  was  the  reign  of  cold  water.  Some  of  them  had 
never  heard  such  talk  before.  What  was  working  within,  I  could  not 
tell;  until  at  length  a  growl  gave  utterance  to  some  rather  unfriendly 
feeling.  To  my  surprise,  a  man  sitting  near  the  growler  stretched  out 
his  fist,  and  shaking  it  in  the  face  of  the  offended  man,  said,  with  some 
energy  of  tone,  '  You  keep  still ! '  This  interlocutor  I  afterwards  under- 
stood was  the  veritable  Uncle  John.  Encouraged  by  this  interview,  I 
continued  fifty  minutes  longer.  I  sat  down  a  moment,  and  the  little 
country  lawyer  (as  I  imagined  him)  arose  and  spoke  to  the  following 
effect  :  '  Gentlemen  !  you  came  to  hear  this  man  in  compliance  with  my 
request  ;  I  promised  you  that  I  would  reply  to  him.  He  has  endeav- 
ored to  show  you  that  the  use  of  intoxicating  beverages  should  cease ;  I 
shall  support  the  opposite  position.  My  arguments  are  few  and  brief, 
but  conclusive.  First,  a  vast  amount  of  the  industry  of  the  nation  is 
connected  with  the  traffic  in  ardent  spirits.  The  manufacturer,  the 
cooper,  the  glass-maker,  the  wholesale  vender,  the  retail  vender,  the 
shipper,  the  teamster,  —  what  an  array  of  industry  is  here  !  What  a 
vast  source  of  wealth  is  this  !  And  this  gentleman  would  persuade  us 
to  sacrifice  it  !  Secondly,  it  is  peculiarly  important  in  its  relations  to 
that  honorable  and  indispensable  profession,  the  practice  of  medicine. 
Why,  gentlemen,  half  our  sicknesses  come  from  the  use  of  these  liquors, 
and  physicians  tell  me  cases  are  protracted  and  their  bills  made  propor- 
tionally large  as  the  patient  uses  these  substances.' 

("  I  must  be  allowed  to  interrupt  the  speech  here,  by  noting  the 
'  change,  like  that  of  twilight,  coming  o'er  the  spirit  of  my  dream.'     I 


8-4  LIFE   OF  EDWARD   NORRIS   KIRK. 

was  puzzled.  My  audience  was  puzzled.  The  speaker  was  calm  and 
grave,  but  the  speech  began  to  tremble  in  the  scale.  No  one  could  tell 
which  side  would  go  down.     I  proceed  with  the  speech  :  — ) 

"'  Third,  I  am  a  man  of  some  observation,  and  have  remarked  that 
the  custom  of  which  we  are  speaking  has  a  most  important  connection 
with  family  government.  I  know  a  father  whose  children  ride  right  over 
him,  when  he  is  not  braced  by  his  glass ;  but  when  he  comes  home  toned 
up,  then  look  out;  tongs,  broomstick,  shovel,  everything  that  comes  to 
hand,  brings  quiet  and  submission  to  that  household.  Lastly,  this  custom 
is  promotive  of  the  most  eminent  of  the  Christian  graces,  —  humility. 
Let  the  proudest  man  in  Dutchess  County  drink  one  glass  of  the  pure 
article  after  dinner,  and  before  night  he  resembles  a  hog.'  He  sat  down. 
The  audience  sat  confounded.  I  discovered  that  this  gentleman  was  a 
clergyman,  who  had  brought  his  stout  friend  to  defend  me,  and  a 
wagon  to  carry  me  out  of  the  place. 

"  The  meeting  closed.  A  little  Quaker  judge  addressed  me  :  '  Why, 
friend,  if  these  things  are  so,  I  wish  to  know  it.  How  can  I  inform  my- 
self ?  '     I  believe  he  became  a  subscriber  to  our  temperance  paper." 

As  a  result  of  such  zeal  iu  the  cause,  at  the  expiration  of 
six  months  five  hundred  young  men  of  Albany  had  enrolled 
themselves  as  members  of  the  Temperance  Society. 

Two  members  of  that  celebrated  committee  of  three  who 
prepared  the  state  address,  Messrs.  Wood  and  Dawson,  from 
a  review  of  their  early  labors,  have  given  expression  to  the 
rule  that,  then,  "  teetotalers  and  abolitionists  were  usually 
the  same  men.  Teetotalism  practically  meant  abolitionism. 
Leaders  in  the  one  reform  grew  into  the  other.  It  is  the 
air  we  breathe." 

The  principle  here  hinted  at  was  certainly  applicable  to 
Mr.  Kirk.  We  have  already  noted  the  tendency  of  his  mind 
as  expressed  in  his  address  at  Princeton.  He  was  an  anti- 
slavery  man.  Yet  antislavery  and  abolitionism  were  advo- 
cated by  two  classes  of  adherents.  Antislavery  men  ad- 
mitted the  evils  of  slavery,  yet  said  it  might  be  confined  to 
the  South.  Abolitionists,  on  the  other  hand,  convinced  of 
the  curse  of  the  system,  said  it  must  be  overthrown  in  the 
South.  Antislavery  men  supported  the  Missouri  Comprom- 
ise ;  abolitionists  never. 

Mr.  Kirk  was  an  antislavery  man  when  he  came  to  Al- 


SETTLEMENT   AND  LABORS   IN  ALBANY.  85 

bany,  —  an  opposer  of  the  principles  of  the  abolitionists.  At 
a  meeting  held  in  one  of  the  Baptist  churches,  the  whole 
subject  was  thoroughly  discussed.  Mr.  Kirk  was  present, 
and  at  a  favorable  moment  arose  and  frankly  said :  "  Breth- 
ren, I  see  that  I  have  been  in  the  wrong ;  I  have  by  my 
course  opposed  the  very  race  whose  freedom  I  sincerely  de- 
sire." He  then  pledged  his  powers  to  the  principles  of  abo- 
litionism, —  unpopular  cause  again  !  "  Another  sign  of 
fanaticism,"  many  said. 

From  that  time  his  pulpit  was  open  to  the  most  pro- 
nounced abolitionists  of  the  day.  With  few  exceptions,  the 
public  sentiment  of  the  churches  was  against  him.  "  What 
will  that  young  man  do  next  ?  "  men  queried.  Mr.  Alvin 
Stewart,  a  distinguished  member  of  the  bar,  found  that  pul- 
pit a  platform  for  liberty  of  speech.  The  celebrated  George 
Thompson,  of  England,  and  Gerritt  Smith,  were  frequently 
welcomed.  The  alarm  caused  by  the  breaking  up  of  a  sim- 
ilar meeting  by  a  mob  elsewhere  disturbed  him  not.  One  of 
his  sermons,  entitled  "  Africa,"  has  become  historic  from  the 
intense  opposition  it  awakened.  These  facts  indicate  the 
beginning  of  a  work  whose  full  development  we  shall  narrate 
in  a  subsequent  chapter,  corresponding  in  date  with  the  rip- 
ening of  the  fruits  of  this  agitation7. 

Among  the  most  important  of  his  efforts  were  those  which 
resulted  in  the  Theological  Seminary  at  Troy.  The  impor- 
tance of  this  institution,  although  it  was  closed  when  Mr. 
Kirk  went  to  Europe  in  1837,  is  seen  in  the  fact  that  out  of 
it,  as  a  germ,  sprang  the  Union  Theological  Seminary  in  the 
city  of  New  York. 

As  will  be  seen,  both  Mr.  Kirk  at  Albany  and  Rev.  Dr. 
Beman  at  Troy  had  felt  substantially  the  same  interest  in 
preparing  students  for  the  ministry.  From  October,  1830, 
until  October,  1832,  eleven  students  had  been  under  Mr. 
Kirk's  personal  supervision.  Against  some  of  their  names, 
in  the  private  catalogue,  is  written,  "  Became  a  fanatic ; " 
yet  others  have  been  long  and  widely  known  as  eminently 
useful.      We  are  highly  favored  in  material  touching  the 


86  LIFE   OF  EDWAED   MORRIS   KIRK. 

history  of   the   theological   school.      Dr.    Kirk    has  himself 
given  the  following  narrative  of  its  origin  and  career :  — 

"  A  few  years  after  entering  on  the  pastoral  work  in  Albany,  a  young 
man,  member  of  the  church,  came  to  me  to  inquire  how  he  could  prepare 
himself  for  the  gospel  ministry.  He  had  only  an  ordinary  education  in 
the  common  schools.  His  case  led  me  to  reflect  on  the  need  of  a  pro- 
vision of  a  course  of  study  requiring  less  time  and  expenditure  than  the 
full  course  at  that  time  required.  It  was  obvious  to  me,  that  however 
indispensable  it  might  be  to  educate  the  Thomas  Hookers  and  Richard 
Baxters,  it  was  equally  so  to  get  the  John  Bunyans  into  the  ministry.  I 
saw  no  such  provision,  and  determined  to  commence  with  this  young 
man,  and  lead  him,  as  far  as  I  might  be  able,  through  the  most  essential 
studies  preparatory  to  entering  the  sacred  office;  feeling  fully  justified  in 
meeting  the  necessary  drafts  on  my  own  time  and  labor,  by  the  demand 
it  would  make  on  myself  for  a  more  thorough  revision  of  my  professional 
studies.  Shortly  after  commencing  the  work,  application  was  made  by 
other  young  men  for  admission  to  the  class. 

"  Deeply  feeling,  first,  that  more  ministers  were  needed  than  our  reg- 
ular institutions  will  furnish  ;  second,  that,  from  painful  experience  of 
their  defects,  I  could  with  altogether  less  learning  and  ability,  but  with 
my  attention  directed  to  those  great  practical  defects,  assist  young  men 
to  be  more  efficient ;  third,  that  I  needed  something  to  make  me  thor- 
oughly examine  the  subjects  connected  with  my  office,  I  determined  by 
the  help  of  God  to  educate  two  or  three  students  for  the  gospel  ministry. 
Having  commenced  in  May,  1830,  several  applications  were  made.  I  re- 
jected the  greater  part  of  them  until  September,  1832,  when  I  became 
convinced  that  the  experiment  would  be  successful,  although  I  had  been 
unfortunate  in  two  or  three  who  came.  The  door  was  then  thrown  open, 
and  I  informed  the  students  that  I  was  ready  to  take  as  many  as  would 
come  with  certain  qualifications. 

' '  Dr.  Beman,  of  Troy,  and  myself,  aided  by  Rev.  Marcus  T,  Smith, 
amalgamated  our  classes  and  formed  the  Troy  and  Albany  Theological 
School,  in  October,  1833,  at  Port  Schuyler.  We  tried  the  experiment  of 
the  school  in  this  form  until  November,  1835.  We  then  removed  it  to 
Troy,  and  commenced  laying  the  broad  foundations  for  a  school  to  edu- 
cate as  many  as  Providence  should  commit  to  us.  Mr.  Smith  resigned, 
and  Mr.  William  Larned  was  appointed  professor  of  sacred  literature  ; 
Dr.  Beman,  of  theology  ;  Mr.  Kirk,  of  sacred  rhetoric  and  pastoral 
theology. 

"  It  was  at  the  time  when  the  manual  labor  system  was  in  high  repute. 
And  if  our  experiment  should  serve  to  prevent  any  others  from  repeating 
the  effort  under  similar  circumstances,  it  will  accomplish  more  good  in 
tbeir  case  than  it  did  in  ours.    We  selected  cooperage  as  employment  for 


SETTLEMENT  AND  LABORS   IN  ALBANY.  87 

our  students.  When  we  went  into  market  to  buy  material,  we  were  in 
disadvantageous  competition  with  men  who  understood  the  business. 
When  we  brought  the  staves  and  hoops  home,  they  were  wasted,  and 
tools  were  damaged,  by  our  inexperienced  youth.  When  we  went  to 
the  market  to  sell  the  products  of  our  labor,  we  again  found  ourselves 
under  disadvantageous  competition.  We  found,  thus,  that  neither  the 
sanitary  nor  the  financial  results  justified  our  expectations;  and  we  con- 
tented ourselves  with  the  mental  without  manual  labor.  The  history  of 
the  institution  terminated  at  my  departure  for  Europe  in  1837.  We  edu- 
cated thei'e,  more  or  less  thoi'oughly,  twenty-four  students.  In  reviewing 
the  list,  many  pleasant  recollections  are  revived." 

Among  the  number  who  have  since  become  prominent, 
may  be  cited  Elias  R.  Beadle,  D.  D.,  missionary  to  Syria ; 
John  J.  Miter,  D.  D.,  late  pastor  of  the  First  Presbyterian 
Church,"  Beaver  Dam,  Wis. ;  Samuel  T.  Spear,  D.  D.,  of  the 
New  York  "  Independent,"  and  the  Rev.  John  T.  Avery, 
the  ^successful  evangelist. 

The  opinions  of  the  teacher  of  such  men,  upon  the  defects 
marking  the  ministry  of  his  day,  deserve  our  earnest  atten- 
tion. A  few  years  ago  he  made  a  statement  of  them,  which 
is  embodied  in  the  outline  that  follows  :  — 

"  LACKS  OF  THEOLOGIANS,  AT  THE  PRESENT  DAY,  AS  A  BODY. 

"  1st.  Want  of  thorough  exegetical  study  of  the  Bible,  and  consequent 
lack  of  full  and  symmetrical  knowledge  of  what  God  has  revealed. 

"  2d.  Want  of  broad  and  comprehensive  and  profound  views  of  the 
nature  and  necessity  of  God's  moral  government,  and  a  consequent  defi- 
ciency in  a  vital,  robust  sentiment  of  loyalty. 

"  3d.  Want  of  a  deep,  ultimate  fellowship  with  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ, 
and  tender  compassion  for  them  that  do  not  know  Him. 

"  The  weakness  of  the  pulpit  consists  in  the  fact  that  the  great  truths 
of  religion  have  occupied  merely  the  intellect  of  the  preacher.  They 
have  never  penetrated  his  heart,  quickened  into  action  his  nobler  sen- 
timents. Our  preachers  appear  never  to  have  stood  with  Moses  upon 
Mount  Sinai;  with  Elijah  at  Horeb ;  with  Peter  on  the  mount  of  trans- 
figuration ;  or  in  Gethsemane  and  Golgotha. 

"In  fact,  the  Holy  Scriptures  are  a  world  in  which  he  that  lives 
breathes,  and  finds  his  nourishment;  opening  his  eyes  on  all  its  glories, — 
its  heights,  its  depths;  gazing  now  upon  the  King's  palace,  and  now 
bending  over  the  brink  of  the  abyss  to  hear  the  wailings  of  the  lost; 
now  listening  to  the  songs  of  angels  and  the  redeemed,  —  such  a  man 


88  LIFE   OF  EDWARD   NORRIS   KIRK. 

comes  to  the  people  a  true  prophet  of  God,  in  whose  presence  and  before 
whose  speech  men  forget  their  lower  nature,  their  lower  wants,  and  feel 
themselves  subjects  of  God's  kingdom,  denizens  of  eternity,  heirs  of 
heaven  or  hell,  men  who  have  come  to  settle  one  grand  question —  Saved 
or  damned?     Oh,  that  we  were  such  preachers! 

"  I  had  rather  throw  my  theology  and  philosophy  into  the  ashes  than 
lose  my  reference  to  God's  preferences  and  gratification  or  displeasure  in 
all  my  actions.  Enoch  pleased  God;  which  is  something  more  than 
equivalent  to  saying,  he  did  right  because  it  was  right. 

"  I  do  not  know  but  there  is  to  be  another  theological  upheaving,  and 
the  points  we  are  now  upon  indicate  somewhart  the  track  of  the  upheaval. 
I  state  nothing  positively,  nothing  hastily  on  this  great  theme ;  it  has 
been  growing  in  my  mind  for  many  years. 

"I  trust  I  shall  make  no  disturbing  movement  unless  the  matter 
assumes  much  more  definite  forms  than  it  has  yet  reached.  The  deep 
question  is,  —  first,  is  God's  will  the  determiner  of  right;  second,  is  it 
the  reason  for  human  action?  By  '  will,'  in  the  first  case,  I  mean :  does 
God  make  right ;  or  does  right  exist  independently  of  Him,  involving,  as 
Finney  and  others  state,  that  God  Himself  is  under  obligation  to  some- 
thing exterior  if  not  anterior  to  Himself,  —  something  above  Himself.  By 
1  will '  I  mean,  in  the  second  case,  his  preference,  his  gratification, 
his  authority,  as  distinct  from,  though  in  harmony  with,  right  in  the 
abstract. 

"My  growing  impression  is,  that  our  students  of  theology  find  —  if 
they  do  not,  others  do  —  that,  by  their  professional  studies,  they  have 
expanded  their  heads  and  cramped  their  hearts.  Having  measured  God 
all  around,  they  have  found  out  a  Fate  back  of  Jupiter,  and  an  utter 
chilling  of  all  those  affections  which  Jesus  recommended  to  his  theo- 
logical class,  when  he  took  a  child  and  set  hint  in  the  midst  of  them. 
That  is,  I  fear  the  diminution  of  reverence,  of  a  regard  to  God's  personal 
will ;  which  would  be  illustrated  by  a  family  of  children  determining  all 
their  course  of  action  by  abstract  right  with  no  reference  to  the  parental 
will,  and  thus  the  parents  become  simply  notices  on  a  sign-board  of  what 
is  abstractly  best  to  do." 

This  deep  interest  in  theological  education  grew  with  his 
years.  He  had  perfected  himself  as  a  teacher,  calling  out 
the  ardent  affection  of  every  pupil.  As  the  result  of  his 
observation  and  experience,  only  two  months  before  his  death 
he  dictated  his  convictions  as  to  the  mutual  sympathy  de- 
manded between  the  theological  teacher  and  the  theological 
student.  The  paper  which  follows  is  probably  the  last  fin- 
ished production  of  his  life.     When  the  last  sentence  had 


SETTLEMENT  AND  LABORS  IN  ALBANY.       89 

been  dictated,  lie  turned  to  the  writer  and  said,  "  I  hope  the 
time  will  come  when  you  will  vise  this  paper  to  the  best 
advantage.  It  may  assist  in  producing  a  more  general  con- 
viction of  the  deep  importance  of  a  right  preparation  for  the 
sacred  office."  That  time  has  now  come  and  we  give  the 
paper  to  the  world :  — 

"  THEOLOGICAL   EDUCATION. 

"What  are 'the  requisites  of  the  highest  theological  teaching?  It 
seems  to  me  that  they  are  — 

"  I.  Respect  on  the  part  of  the  teacher  for  the  latent  powers  of  the 
pupil ;  making  their  harmonious  and  complete  development  his  supreme 
purpose. 

"  II.  To  this  end,  discovering  the  intellectual,  moral,  and  spiritual 
native  defects  and  wrong  habits  of  the  pupil  ;  regarding  their  removal 
essential,  as  the  watch  repairer  must  deal  with  individual  watches. 

"  III.  Guarding  against  all  conventionalism,  imitation,  and  undue 
deference  to  human  authority. 

"  IV.  The  teacher  ought  to  have  a  complete,  comprehensive,  elevated 
conception  of  perfect  manhood  ;  judge  his  pupil  by  that  standard,  and 
aim  to  bring  him  as  near  as  possible  to  it. 

"  V.  The  hope  of  attaining  this  end  should  inspire  the  teacher  with 
enthusiasm. 

"  VI.  The  inspiring  of  this  enthusiasm  in  the  pupil  is  essential  to  all 
success. 

"  VII.  The  first  intellectual  attainment  to  be  sought  is  clearness  of 
conception,  accuracy  of  stating  propositions,  vivid  conceptions  of  the 
reasons  of  believing. 

"  VIII.  Inspiring  profound  l'everence  and  intelligent  admiration  for 
the  Holy  Scriptures  ;  cultivating  the  taste  which  exclaims,  '  Thy  word 
is  sweeter  to  my  taste  than  honey  ; '  securing  the  conviction  that  the 
inspired  revelation  is  a  mountain  whose  summit  can  never  be  reached  in 
this  life,  but  whose  ascending  sides  are  ever  bringing  the  soul  that  mounts 
them  nearer  to  the  oj^en  vision  of  God  and  heaven. 

"  IX.  Convincing  the  pupil  that  theology,  while  essential  to  the  teacher 
of  religion,  never  has  embraced  the  full  harmony  of  the  points  revealed. 

"  X.  Feeling  himself,  and  cultivating  in  the  pupil,  the  sense  of  entire 
dependence  upon  God,  and  delight  in  asking  counsel  of  God. 

"  XI.  Cultivating,  as  a  controlling  motive,  the  desire  to  please  the 
Saviour,  to  win  souls  to  Him,  to  prepare  them  for  everlasting  glory  and 
blessedness  ;  thus  inspiring  a  detestation  for  the  meanness  of  ambition 
and  for  the  supreme  love  of  fame  in  the  sacred  office. 

"  Xn.   Imparting  to  the  pupil  a  clear  view  of  errors  to  which  we  are 


90  LITE   OF  EDWARD   NORMS   KIRK. 

exposed  in  forming  and  in  imparting  our  belief.  The  pupil  must  be  led 
to  see  clearly,  in  forming  his  belief,  the  distinction  between  intuition  and 
reason,  and  to  discover  the  foundation  of  each  specific  belief,  whether  it 
be  exegesis  or  philosophy,  attaching  to  the  former  his  implicit  faith,  and 
to  the  other  his  modified  and  modest  faith.  The  pupil  must  be  led  to 
see,  in  imparting  his  belief,  the  difference  between  dogmatizing  and  firm 
convincing  of  truth. 

' '  The  attitude  of  the  student  in  a  class  before  his  professor  is  accom- 
panied with  a  very  serious  danger.  The  inducement  of  the  position  is  to 
conceal  his  ignorance  and  defective  habits  of  mind,  that  he  may  present 
the  best  appearance  to  his  classmates.  The  student  to  a  private  teacher 
can  more  easily  maintain  the  relation  of  a  patient  to  his  physician,  ex- 
posing precisely  bis  mental  weaknesses,  defects,  and  wants,  and  thus 
giving  the  teacher  an  opportunity  not  merely  of  informing  his  pupil,  but 
of  reaching  the  higher  point  of  reforming  his  mental  habits." 

The  great  popularity  of  Mr.  Kirk  led  to  even  greater  de- 
mands upon  his  time  and  energies  than  this  work  with 
his  students  imposed.  His  influence  was  not  circumscribed 
by  the  city  nor  by  the  State.  It  was  the  period  in  which 
the  great  benevolent  organizations  of  the  church  were  ap- 
pealing to  the  sympathies  of  the  benevolent  in  the  once 
famous  Anniversary  Meetings  at  Boston  and  New  York. 
Repeatedly  had  Mr.  Kirk  taken  part  in  these,  to  the  satis- 
faction of  all.  When  the  proposition  was  made  to  hold 
meetings  of  a  similar  character  in  Cincinnati,  men  of  the 
strongest  qualities  were  needed  to  establish  them.  It  is 
needless  to  say  that  Mr.  Kirk  was  chosen  as  one  of  the 
speakers.  The  themes  included  the  great  movements  of  the 
day ;  and  no  one  was  better  fitted  to  enforce  their  impor- 
tance upon  the  assembled  audiences.  These  were  the  reli- 
gious and  benevolent  feast-days  of  the  year. 

Upon  one  occasion,  in  speaking  of  the  work  of  the  Tract 
Society,  he  pictured  in  vivid  terms  the  wide  gulf  between 
the  gospel  and  multitudes  under  the  shadows  of  the 
churches.     He  said :  — 

"  Strangely  as  it  may  sound  to  many,  there  are  multitudes  who  have, 
from  infancy  almost,  never  crossed  a  church  threshold,  and  to  whom 
the  services  of  the  sanctuary  would  be  a  strange  and  unmeaning  affair. 
There  are  others  whom  shame  prevents.     In  the  Christian  temple  you 


SETTLEMENT  AND  LABOKS  IN  ALBANY.       91 

find  a  people  whom  Christianity  has  affected  even  in  their  personal  ap- 
pearance. But  there  are  others  whom  poverty  forbids  to  clothe  them- 
selves even  with  comeliness.  They  are  possessed  of  an  immortal  mind. 
Beneath  all  that  is  so  unsightly  there  is  a  jewel  which  may  yet  dec- 
orate the  Saviour's  crown.  But  they  will  not  bring  it  to  the  sanct- 
uary, because  the  poor  vase  that  holds  it  is  so  rude This,  sir,  is 

the  gulf  which,  whosoever  is  to  be  blamed,  is  in  fact  impassable  by  them. 
"Now,  the  gospel  must  go  to  them,  for  they  will  never  go  to  the 
gospel.  And  it  must  go  over  that  gulf.  But  how  shall  it  go  ?  It  has 
neither  feet  nor  wings.  Charity,  sweet  charity,  must  carry  it.  Oh,  sir, 
I  love  to  plead  here,  with  eyes  that  have  never  seen,  and  hearts  that 
have  never  felt,  and  hands  that  have  never  labored  in  this  cause.  Your 
society,  sir,  must  give  the  gospel  wings  to  cross  the  gulf." 

Probably  these  occasions,  touching  his  heart  so  deeply, 
witnessed  some  of  the  very  highest  specimens  of  his  almost 
unmatched  eloquence.  Accounts  from  every  quarter  declare 
the  remarkable  power  he  displayed  at  this  time.  Crowds 
hung  upon  his  words,  now  smiling  only  to  weep  the  next 
moment.  We  can  never  fully  estimate  the  value  of  these 
seasons  to  the  cause  of  the  Master. 

We  have  heard  him  allude  to  scenes  and  experiences  in 
the  following  language :  — 

"  About  the  year  1834  I  was  invited  to  accompany  several  clergymen 
(among  whom  I  recall  only  Dr.  Justin  Edwards)  to  visit  Cincinnati,  for 
the  purpose  of  aiding  Dr.  Beecher  and  others  in  establishing  a  series  of 
anniversaries  like  those  of  New  York  and  Boston.  The  effort  proved 
successful.  I  can  recall  only  some  incidental  occurrences.  Among 
them  was  one  displaying  the  playfulness  which  Dr.  Beecher  made  con- 
sistent with  the  exhibition  of  great  intellectual  power  and  profound 
piety.  We  met  at  the  house  of  one  of  his  relatives  to  pass  a  social  even- 
ing. While  some  one  was  performing  a  piece  on  the  piano,  the  doctor 
took  up  a  violin  to  play  an  accompaniment.  The  piece  was  lively,  and 
some  young  gentlemen  behind  him  commenced  dancing.  To  see  the 
venerable  man  fiddling  for  a  dance  caused  a  very  general  merriment. 
The  doctor  discovered  that  something  was  out  of  order,  and  turning 
around  perceived  the  cause  of  it.  He  lifted  his  bow  for  a  whip  and 
chased  the  dancers.  Some  men's  dignity  might  have  suffered  by  such  a 
scene  ;  that  of  the  doctor  was  safe. 

"  We  rode  from  Cincinnati  to  Lexington  in  a  stage-coach,  nine  clergy- 
men, Miss  Catherine  Beecher,  and  a  stranger.  The  mud  was  of  the  first 
class,  being  hub-deep  a  large  part  of  the  journey.     At  one  stage  the  pas- 


92  LIFE   OF  EDWARD  NORR1S   KIRK. 

sengers  were  obliged  to  alight  and  relieve  the  coach.  I  remember  Miss 
Catherine's  sad  j)light.  Her  trunk  was  placed  for  her  in  the  mud,  but 
the  precaution  did  not  prevent  her  leaving  a  slipper  there.  During  the 
ride  I  was  led  to  discuss  with  her  the  question,  What  is  the  ultimate 
ground  of  moral  obligation  ?  The  sparring  was  lively.  My  mind  was 
more  intent  on  victory  than  courtesy,  and  I  hailed  myself  as  conqueror 
at  the  close  of  the  conflict.  But  judge  of  my  surprise,  when  we  alighted 
from  the  coach,  at  the  stranger  accosting  me  thus :  '  That  is  a  smart 
woman;  she  floored  you  this  morning.'     I  had  nothing  to  say. 

"  One  evening  we  held  in  Cincinnati  the  anniversar}'  of  the  Education 
Society.  I  made  an  address  which  afforded  me  considerable  satisfaction 
in  the  review.  I  was  complimented,  and  gratified  with  the  compliment. 
But  before  we  bowed  in  prayer  around  the  family  altar  I  discovered  the 
workings  of  vanity  in  that  gratification.  Being  invited  to  lead  in  prayer,  I 
made  confession  accordingly.  As  we  arose  from  kneeling,  the  whole 
family  (Dr.  Beecher's)  gathered  around  me,  protesting  against  the  con- 
fession, saying,  '  It  was  a  good  address,  and  you  are  entirely  right  in 
being  gratified  with  its  success.'  This  caused  quite  a  debate,  on  the  dis- 
tinction between  self-esteem  and  vanity.  The  only  dissenter  from  the 
common  opinion  in  the  case  was  Miss  Harriet  (now  Mrs.  Stowe).  She 
dissented  from  the  positiveness  of  their  decision,  and  we  discussed  it 
alone  till  midnight.  Her  final  remark  was,  '  Do  not  mind  the  Beechers; 
follow  your  own  convictions.'  " 

Mr.  Kirk,  at  the  anniversary  of  the  Sabbath-school  So- 
ciety, was  called  upon  to  deliver  the  closing  speech,  making 
the  appeal  for  money  then  to  be  taken  by  a  collection.  He 
had  for  the  first  time  seen  the  peculiar  steamboat  of  the 
western  waters.  The  engine  being  of  the  high-pressure 
kind,  the  engineer  was  obliged  to  unship  the  paddle-wheels 
and  keep  the  engine  in  full  and  of  course  in  rapid  motion. 
Of  this  fact  Mr.  Kirk  made  the  following  use  in  his 
speech :  — 

"  We  have  had  a  grand  time  at  these  anniversary  meetings.  Onr 
feelings  have  been  raised  to  a  high  pitch.  It  is  very  important  that  we 
should  understand  our  Creator's  design  in  giving  us  these  sensibilities. 
They  are  in  our  systems  what  the  steam  is  in  your  river  boats.  I  observe 
that  when  your  steamers  are  waiting  at  the  wharf  for  wood,  for  passen- 
gers, for  freight,  there  is  an  extraordinary  amount  of  noise  and  motion. 
Every  wheel  and  machine  is  active,  but  the  only  result  is  to  wear  out  the 
machinery.  Now,  what  the  engineer  does  is  what  I  recommend  you  to 
do,  ship  the  wheels.    Let  this  pressure   of  feeling   act  on  the  pocket 


SETTLEMENT  AND  LABORS  IN  ALBANY.       93 

nerve.     Then  feeling  will  perform  its  legitimate  work.     Ship  the  wheels, 
brethren!     Ship  the  wheels !     Let  the  collectors  now  pass  around. " 

After  returning  home,  he  wrote  to  the  editor  of  the  "  Cin- 
cinnati Journal,"  upon  the  great  necessity  for  educating  the 
mind  and  heart  of  the  West :  — 

"Yes,  I  say,  the  heart.  Ay,  there  is  the  rub.  Educationists  have 
proceeded  on  one  of  two  false  suppositions,  to  the  immense  loss  of  our 
race.  They  have  believed,  either  that  man  has  no  heart,  or  that  it  need 
not  be  educated.  How  radical  the  mistake !  But  it  was  on  the  latter  al- 
ternative they  thought  the  intellect  alone  needed  to  be  trained.  But 
what  is  the  intellect,  trained  and  furnished,  without  an  educated  con- 
science and  a  disciplined  heart  ?  It  is  a  chain  of  adamant,  and  an  iron 
arm  for  a  Caesar.  It  is  the  burnished  weapon  of  death,  in  the  grasp  of  a 
Robespierre.  It  is  the  fire  of  hell  that  scathed  all  France,  as  it  flamed 
from  her  infidel  pen.  Ah,  you  must  educate  the  heart.  Man  is  a  social 
being,  and  prone  to  be  selfish.  Man  is  a  subject  of  God's  moral  govern- 
ment, and  yet  prone  to  rebellion  as  the  sparks  to  ascend.  Man  is  the 
tenant  of  eternity,  and  yet  prone  to  live  with  exclusive  reference  to 
time.  The  heart  must  be  educated.  And  the  Bible  is  the  material  for 
this  department  of  education.  Sound  it  from  your  mountain-tops  and  in 
your  vale,  —  The  heart  of  the  giant  West  must  be  educated." 

The  secret  of  his  activity,  in  these  various  organizations 
for  practical  benevolence,  was  doubtless  indirectly  expressed 
in  an  address  at  New  York  in  1836  :  — 

"  I  confess,  sir,  there  are  times  when  fear  strongly  seizes  my  mind. 
There  are  two  passages  of  the  Bible  which  make  me  afraid  when  I  think 
of  going,  a  disembodied  spirit,  to  be  tried,  not  by  my  creed  or  my  office, 
but  on  my  naked  personal  character.  In  the  one,  the  Judge  of  the  quick  ( 
and  dead  is  represented  as  making  common  interest  with  the  poorest  and 
most  wretched  of  those  that  are,  and  of  those  that  are  to  be,  his  people. 
And  he  says  to  the  arraigned  criminal,  '  I  was  sick,  and  ye  visited  me 
not.  I  was  in  prison,  and  ye  came  not  unto  me.'  I  hear  the  church 
and  her  ministers  talk.  I  see  them  zealous  for  truth  against  error,  for 
revivals,  for  moral  reformation;  but  they  do  not  visit  Jesus;  they  do 
not  come  unto  Him.  In  the  light  of  that  passage  I  have  looked  at 
the  church  with  a  painful  solicitude.  Nor  has  it  been  diminished  when  I 
hear  James  saying,  This  is  pure  and  undefiled  religion  before  God  and 
the  Father,  '  to  visit  the  widow  and  the  fatherless  in  their  affliction. ' 
True,  sir,  the  ministers  of  Christ  have  so  much  to  do  in  managing 
benevolent  societies,  in  coming  to  address  them,  as  I  do  this,  from  a 
hundred  and  fifty  miles ;  in  preparing  sermons  and  receiving  visits  of 


94  LITE   OF  EDWARD  NORRIS   KIRK. 

friendship  and  business  ;  true,  the  men  in  our  churches  are  full  of 
business  before  dinner,  and  of  other  things  after  dinner  ;  true,  the 
sisters  are  and  must  be  keepers  at  home ;  true,  we  love  benevolent 
societies  and  give  them  our  money  ;  but,  sir,  after  all,  that  passage 
rings  in  my  ear  like  the  death-knell  of  many  a  towering  hope.  Ye 
did  not  visit  me,  ye  did  not  come  unto  me.  Say,  do  I  fear  ;  do  I  mis- 
interpret the  passage,  by  mistaking  an  allegory  for  a  literal  statement  ? 
No ;  that  must  be  a  literal  exhibition  of  the  Final  Judgment,  or  there  is 
none.  Do  I  mistake  in  making  a  universal  application  of  it  to  all  men, 
saints  and  sinners,  when  it  in  fact  belongs  to  a  few?  No;  for  then  only 
a  few  will  hear  the  welcome,  '  Come,  ye  blessed  of  my  father,  inherit 
the  kingdom,  for  I  was  sick  and  ye  visited  me;  I  was  in  prison,  and  ye 
came  unto  me.'  Let  professing  Christians  read  these  passages  in  their 
closets  and  upon  their  knees,  and  then  decide  concerning  the  duty  of 


In  his  parish,  and  elsewhere,  he  found  an  answer  for 
every  one.  If  persons  intruded  beyond  their  rightful  bounds, 
his  reply  sent  them  back.  Handsome,  genial,  scholarly,  and 
eloquent,  it  is  not  strange  that  the  ladies  were  often  con- 
cerned about  the  wife  they  supposed  he  would  take.  Gossip 
had  selected  one  who  had  been  visiting  Albany  from  Hart- 
ford, Conn.  When  he  had  gone  to  the  latter  city  upon 
duties  connected  with  some  society,  his  absence  and  its  sup- 
posed object  excited  the  curious.  Upon  his  return,  a  lady 
said,  "  Mr.  Kirk,  as  soon  as  you  had  gone,  I  put  my  hat 
right  on  and  went  from  house  to  house  telling  the  people  that 
you  had  gone  after  a  wife."  "  Well,  madam,  put  your  hat 
on  again,  and  tell  every  one  you  saw  that  I  have  come  back 
with  the  mitten." 

A  few  years  after  his  removal  to  Albany  his  parents  fol- 
lowed him,  to  accept  his  pressing  offer  of  a  home.  Before 
they  came,  we  find  a  letter  to  his  mother,  dated  June  15, 
1829.  In  it  he  speaks  of  his  sister  Harriet,  who  had  not 
yet  sought  her  Saviour.  Then,  after  mentioning  one  and 
another  of  the  family,  he  thus  closes  :  — 

"My  dear  mother,  have  you  yet  returned  to  God,  repenting  of  your 
sins  and  giving  yourself  to  Jesus  Christ  as  the  Saviour  of  sinners  ?  God 
has  warned  you  very  mercifully.  You  have  surely  lived  too  long  'in  sin 
and  rebellion  against  your  Maker.     Oh,  turn  to  Him  and  live!     You 


SETTLEMENT  AND  LABORS  IN  ALBANY.       95 

travailed  in  birth  with  me  ;  yon  kindly  watched  over  me  ;  your  heart  has 
followed  me  with  anxiety.  Now,  I  feel  for  you  ;  my  heart  is  burdened 
with  the  weight  of  your  soul.  Oh,  if  my  dear  mother  should  die  in  her 
sins,  and  meet  an  angry  God  and  a  Saviour  whom  she  has  rejected,  and 
then  sink  to  endless  burnings !  The  thought  is  overwhelming.  Then, 
turn  and  live  while  God  in  mercy  spares  you  this  side  eternity.  This, 
my  dear  mother,  is  the  one  thing  needful.  This  is  everything ;  for 
'  what  shall  it  profit  a  man  if  he  gain  the  whole  world  and  lose  his  own 
soul  ?  '  Your  son,  bound  to  you  by  duty  and  gratitude, 

"  Edward." 

It  was  after  this,  that,  in  Albany,  at  a  meeting  in  his  own 
house,  in  response  to  his  invitation  given  to  any  desiring 
prayers,  the  mother  arose,  and,  moving  toward  her  son,  was 
met  by  him  amidst  the  sobs  and  tears  of  those  privileged  to 
behold  the  scene.  Soon  after,  the  weeping  yet  glad  son  bap- 
tized his  mother,  and  received  her  to  the  fellowship  of  the 
church. 

On  the  8th  of  April,  1837,  Mr.  Kirk  took  the  step  of 
terminating  his  ministry  in  the  city.  The  eight  years  had 
witnessed,  as  the  fruits  of  his  labors,  the  addition  of  ten 
hundred  and  twelve  members  to  the  church,  or  about  a  hun- 
dred and  twenty-five  a  year.  The  men  who  at  first  had 
opposed  him  were  among  his  warmest  friends.  He  had 
endured  reproaches  and  slanders  without  complaint  and  in 
silence.  He  was  become  master  of  the  situation.  All  this 
deepened  the  sorrow  of  the  loving  church.  "  Experienced 
every  proof  of  affection  from  my  fellow  citizens  which  my 
heart  could  desire." 

But  against  the  unanimous  voice  of  the  church,  he  took 
the  step.  His  object  was  to  seek  rest  after  his  incessant 
labors,  and  to  benefit  his  mind  by  travel  in  foreign  lands. 

The  closing  sermon,  delivered  to  a  congregation  limited 
only  by  the  capacity  of  the  house,  was  full  of  pathos,  as  he 
reviewed  step  after  step  of  their  common  progress.  We 
append  a  few  paragraphs  :  — 

"I  have  felt  my  soul,  my  being,  identified  with  this  church.  More 
than  eight  years  have  rolled  away  since  I  saw  the  first  little  band  cluster 
together  in  the  name  and  strength  of  the  God  of  Israel,  to  raise  another 


96  LIFE  OF  EDWARD  NORRIS  KIRK. 

banner  to  his  glory.  To  have  said  much  about  it  before  the  present 
time  would  virtually  have  been  to  speak  of  myself.  But  that  period  is 
past.  Since  the  purpose  has  been  fixed  to  leave  you  for  a  time,  —  per- 
haps for  ever,  —  a  new  feeling  has  come  over  the  heart.  I  feel  as  if  I 
could  stand  aside  with  a  more  chastened  affection  and  more  impartial 
eye  to  behold  the  wonders  and  riches  of  divine  mercy.  Of  the  fifty-five 
who  laid  the  first  foundation-stone  of  this  spiritual  structure,  only 
twenty-eight  are  now  among  us.  Of  the  two  hundred  and  thirty-two 
who  constituted  the  church  at  the  close  of  the  first  year,  and  saw  that 
dark,  distressing  period,  when  nothing  but  the  naked  hand  of  Christ 
held  us  up  among  the  roaring  waters,  only  one  hundred  and  eleven  are 
now  with  us.  They  recollect,  they  can  never  forget,  those  days.  It  was 
'  one  day  known  to  the  Lord,  not  day  nor  night ;  but  it  came  to  pass, 
that  at  evening  time  it  was  light.'  To-night  I  take  a  review  of  that 
period  with  you.  To  those  who  now  constitute  this  church,  my  message 
is,  '  Behold  what  the  Lord  hath  wrought.'  It  is  befitting  this  solemn  and 
trying  occasion  to  recount,  like  Israel  of  old,  the  mercies  of  God,  that 
you  may  praise  his  name  ;  that  you  may  understand  more  definitely  the 
history  of  the  principles  of  this  association,  with  which  you  have  become 
so  intimately  connected ;  that  you  may  feel  your  obligations.  It  is 
usual  on  such  occasions  for  the  pastor  to  speak  of  his  own  labors.     I 

cannot  do  it 

"  There  were  then  two  views  taken  of  the  enterprise.  On  the  one  side, 
both  the  friends  and  the  enemies  of  God  said  it  was  an  unholy  enter- 
prise, unwise  and  uncalled  for  ;  I  was  charged  with  fanaticism  and  boy- 
ish indiscretion.  It  was  said  by  the  sagacious,  '  What  do  these  men 
build?  behold,  if  a  fox  go  up  on  their  walls  they  will  fall  down.'  When 
this  building  was  commenced,  some  ridiculed  ;  obstructions  met  us  in  the 
usual  financial  arrangements,  suspicions  were  set  afloat  concerning  the 
safety  of  crediting  any  one  connected  even  indirectly  with  the  enter- 
prise. When  the  first  indications  of  the  special  jiresence  of  God's  Spirit 
were  experienced,  we  were  branded  with  the  severest  epithets,  and  the 
ears  of  God's  children  were  open  to  the  falsehoods  of  the  wicked.  Then 
understood  I  the  meaning  of  the  Psalmist,  and  the  feelings  of  the  blessed 
Saviour  in  some  measure  :  '  My  soul  is  among  lions,  and  I  lie  even 
among  them  that  are  set  on  fire,  even  the  sons  of  men  whose  teeth  are 
spears  and  arrows,  and  their  tongue  a  sharp  sword  ;  who  whet  their 
tongue  like  a  sword,  and  bend  their  bow  to  shoot  their  arrows,  even  bitter 
words'  Now,  God  forbid  that  I  should  refer  to  the  past  in  a  spirit  of 
revenge  or  of  boasting.  I  should  loathe  myself  if  I  could  ever  indulge 
such  feelings,  but  especially  on  such  an  occasion.  God  knows  my  heart 
toward  this  whole  community  and  toward  those  who  were  once  my  bitter- 
est enemies.  I  do  not  boast ;  but  I  say  —  On  the  one  side  were  these 
views  and  feelings  and  predictions ;  on  the  other,  with  much  human  im- 


SETTLEMENT  AND  LABORS  IN  ALBANY.       97 

perfection,  we  certainly  had  these  for  our  leading  principles  and  feelings, 
—  a  determination  to  sustain  the  plain,  honest  exhibition  of  the  truths  of 
the  gospel,  without  consulting  unconverted  men,  whether  they  were  pleased 
or  displeased,  and  an  unwavering  confidence  that  God  would  bless  us  if  we 
served  Him. 

"  There  were  many  considerations  which  induced  me  to  remain  here. 
Low  and  selfish  motives  were  attributed.  My  friends,  —  I  say  it  to  the 
glory  of  God,  —  I  had  as  much  confidence,  when  I  met  in  the  first  prayer- 
meeting  with  twenty  persons,  that  God  would  greatly  bless  us,  as  I  have  now 
that  He  has  blessed  us.  Do  not  call  it  presumption  ;  for  I  knew  that  I  was 
surrounded  by  a  praying  band.  Among  many  other  considerations  which 
induced  me  to  remain  and  bear  the  peltings  of  the  pitiless  storm,  was  the 
fact,  as  stated  then  to  me,  that  a  number  of  Christians  were  engaged  in 
prayer,  from  sunset  to  sunrise,  that  I  might  not  be  permitted  to  leave  the 
city.  That  turned  the  scale;  I  could  not  desert  such  spirits  ;  and  I 
knew  God  would  bless  them.  I  saw  it,  I  felt  it;  and  I  feel  now  as  if  I 
could  go  gladly  to  attack  the  spirits  in  the  pit,  if  God  sent  me,  sur- 
rounded by  such  hearts.  And  more  than  this,  this  enterprise  and  my  un- 
wortby  name  were  on  the  lips  of  hundreds  of  God's  praying  people,  from 
this  city  to  Buffalo.  An  eminent  saint,  who  preached  over  a  wide  cir- 
cuit, was  in  the  habit  of  encouraging  the  churches  to  bear  our  cause  to  the 
mercy-seat  continually.  I  consider  this  church  a  monument  inscribed 
with  the  evidences  of  the  power  of  prayer,  and  the  faithfulness  of  Jacob's 
God.  The  enemy  said,  By  whom  shall  Jacob  arise?  for  he  is  small. 
We  replied,  In  God  is  our  trust;  we  will  make  our  boast  in  the  Lord. 
Now  let  us  see  how  the  Lord  hath  dealt  with  us.  Truly  He  hath  encour- 
aged the  hearts  of  them  that  believed,  and  He  hath  silenced  the  enemy 
and  avenger 

"  Forty-six  of  our  brethren  and  sisters  have  changed  their  connection 
with  the  earthly  for  one  with  the  heavenly  church.  How  glorious  it  has 
been  to  see  them  turn  to  the  Lord  and  seriously  address  themselves  to 
preparation  for  death,  and  then  to  witness  the  reality  of  the  change,  and 
its  importance  tested  and  demonstrated  in  the  honest  hour  of  the  soul's 
approach  to  the  judgment-seat.  To  see  the  law-condemned  sinner  re- 
pent, the  rebel  return  and  obtain  forgiveness ;  to  follow  the  soul  through 
its  successive  stages  of  heavenly  improvement  and  refinement ;  and  then 
to  stand  on  the  verge  of  the  river  of  death,  to  wade  in  and  support  the 
departing  spirit  until  it  catches  a  view  of  the  celestial  glory,  to  hear  it 
shout,  to  see  it  just  touching  the  blissful  shore  —  this  is  a  minister's 
salary.     Mine  has  been  paid 

"  The  plea  for  the  Sabbath,  and  the  plea  for  the  seventh  commandment, 
have  been   urged   here.     And  I  rejoice  that  on  this  platform  has  been 
urged  the  claim  of  the  enslaved.     I  have  heard  of  the  danger  of  expos- 
ing the  building  and  the  audience  to  molestation.     I  have  heard  of  some 
7 


98  LIFE   OF  EDWARD  NORMS   KIRK. 

thing  worse,  — the  odium  attached  to  the  cause  of  liberty.  But  we  have 
gloried  to  bear  that  odium.  We  rejoice  that  God  enabled  us  to  erect 
one  of  the  buildings  in  this  city  where  the  cry  of  the  oppressed  and 
down-trodden  could  be  echoed  in  the  ear  of  Christian  sympathy.  We 
feel  assured  that  it  is  right.  We  bless  God  for  the  assurance  his  provi- 
dence affords  us,  that  it  is  right  for  his  church  to  be  the  pioneer  of 
moral  reformations.  The  right  of  opinion  is  a  natural  right  ;  the  right 
of  expressing  opinion  is  another  conferred  by  the  Author  of  the  human 
constitution  ;  and  both  sacredly  guaranteed  by  the  bond  of  our  political 
union.  And  I  know  nothing  more  alarming  in  modern  politics,  than  the 
attempt  to  browbeat  free  American  citizens  in  the  peaceful  maintenance 
of  eternal  truths,  and  to  persecute  them  for  the  candid,  manly,  and 
courteous  expression  of  those  sentiments.  We  have  a  right  to  try  to 
convince  the  North  and  South.  Ministers  have  a  right  from  God,  and  a 
commission  and  a  warrant  from  the  American  Constitution,  to  expose 
the  sins  and  dangers  involved  in  the  system  of  oppression  legalized  and 
practiced  among  us.  I  am  ashamed  to  hear  it  said  there  are  places  in 
America  where  you  cannot  candidly  and  temperately  discuss  great  ques- 
tions of  public  duty  and  safety 

"  My  entrance  here  was  flattering,  my  reception  everything  I  could  ask 
as  a  man  and  a  minister.  So  long  as  Foreign  Missions  was  my  topic,  all 
went  well.  But  when  I  turned  to  show  the  amiable  and  moral  and  re- 
spected of  this  community  that  they  were  more  guilty  than  the  heathen, 
and  were  going  to  a  deeper  condemnation,  they  rose  in  might  against  me. 
I  had  never  known  an  enemy  before  since  my  conversion.  I  had  never 
been  slandered.  But  now  a  new  scene  awaited  me  in  this  goodly  city. 
I  was  reviled,  my  sermons  and  sentiments  misrepresented,  friends  grew 
cold  and  enemies  multiplied.  For  a  stripling  this  was  new,  and,  you 
may  be  sure,  well-nigh  overwhelming.  My  heart  overflowed  with  love  to 
all.  I  could  not  see  why  any  should  persecute  me.  But  oh,  it  was  a 
blessed  school.  I  would  not  part  with  the  lessons  there  learned  for  all 
the  enjoyments  of  undisturbed  prosperity.  But  I  turn  from  that  to 
speak  of  the  hearts  which  cherished  and  the  hands  which  upheld  me  in 
those  trying  days.  Brethren,  sisters,  I  thus  publicly  thank  you.  You 
gave  not  only  a  cup  of  cold  water  to  a  disciple  when  it  was  a  reproach 
to  you ;  you  shared  his  sorrows,  you  shielded  his  reputation  with  your 
own,  you  would  have  died  with  him  for  Christ.  You  wept  for  me,  you 
carried  my  burdens,  you  prayed  for  me.  I  know  it.  And  my  heart 
thanks  you  ;  my  soul  clings  to  you.  But  chiefly  I  recognize  the  good- 
ness of  God  in  it,  in  whose  hands  are  all  hearts 

"  Since  commencing  to  form  this  church  I  have  preached  to  you  about 
one  thousand  sermons.  I  have  assisted  other  churches  in  sustaining  more 
than  thirty  protracted  meetings.  I  have  delivered  ninety  addresses  on 
temperance;  more  than  a  hundred  addresses  on  Foreign  Missions  ;  many 


SETTLEMENT  AND  LABORS  IN  ALBANY.       99 

on  slavery  ;  many  for  objects  in  our  city ;  for  the  Tract,  Bible,  Educa- 
tion, and  other  societies;  attended  and  addressed  the  various  societies  in 
three  anniversaries  at  New  York,  one  at  Cincinnati,  one  at  Lexington, 
Ky.,  one  at  Boston,  one  at  Troy.  I  have  performed  a  tour  through  many 
principal  cities  in  this  State  and  into  Canada,  on  the  subject  of  common 

school  education 

"  And  now,  brethren,  I  am  about  to  say,  Farewell.  I  leave  you,  not  be- 
cause I  do  not  love  you.  My  heart  grows  closer  to  you  every  day.  This 
church  appears  to  me  more  interesting  and  more  important  than  ever. 
I  go  because  I  believe  I  ought  to  go.  Europe  is  dear  to  my  heart;  but 
America  is  dearer.  And  I  know  that,  if  permitted,  I  shall  hail  its  shores 
again  with  delight.  I  go  to  gather  light  from  the  experience  of  ages,  to 
see  man  in  other  climates,  and  under  other  institutions.  My  soul  pants 
for  knowledge,  human  and  divine.  But  I  would  not  indulge  the  desire, 
could  not  that  knowledge,  when  acquired,  be  employed  for  greater  use- 
fulness. Be  assured,  it  is  not  for  myself.  Whatever  I  am  now,  or  may 
be  hereafter,  is  my  country's  and  my  God's.  I  consecrate  it  to  the 
church  of  Christ  and  to  the  human  race." 


CHAPTER  VI. 

TRAVELS   IN   GREAT   BRITAIN,    IRELAND,   AND   FRANCE. 

1837-1838. 

The  blessings  of  the  Fourth  Church  rested  upon  their  late 
pastor  as  he  sailed  from  New  York,  April  10,  1837.  No 
unusual  events  occurred  during  the  voyage  of  seventeen  days. 
Each  Sabbath,  passengers  and  crew  attended  the  services  of 
worship,  led  by  Mr.  Kirk.  The  key  to  his  usefulness  is  thus 
expressed :  "  I  was  allowed  to  preach,  to  speak  publicly  at 
the  table  as  I  thought  and  felt  on  the  subject ;  but  if  any 
good  was  accomplished,  it  was  done  by  private  conversation." 
The  wonders  of  navigation  had  a  charm  for  him.  The  ship 
became  to  him  a  "  thing  of  life."  From  the  compass  to  the 
rigging,  he  read  in  it  the  advance  of  the  human  mind.  The 
schools  of  fish,  the  variable  winds,  the  lights  at  length  ap- 
pearing along  St.  George's  Channel,  the  bell  rung  by  the 
surging  waters  whose  mournful  tollings  warned  of  the  places 
of  danger,  all  appealed  to  his  imagination. 

At  last  he  stepped  upon  the  wharves  and  streets  of  Liver- 
pool. We  look  upon  Great  Britain  as  he  saw  it,  in  some  of 
its  peculiar  phases  and  charms  :  — 

"  a  stranger's  mistakes. 

"  I  found  myself  making  blunders  perpetually.  The  first  I  made  was 
about  money.  I  paid  for  all  my  fellow-passengers  their  ferriage  to  the 
wharf  at  Liverpool,  amounting  to  two  dollars  ;  and  I  thought  they  would 
be  business  men  enough  to  reimburse,  but  was  mistaken.  My  second  was 
about  the  coaches.  Supposing  there  was  but  one  to  London,  I  went  to 
the  ferry,  and  mounted  the  box  of  the  first  coach  for  London  that  stood 
there.     'Your  name,'  said  the  agent.     'Kirk,  sir.'     'Where  did  you 


TRAVELS  IN   GREAT  BRITAIN,   IRELAND,   FRANCE.     101 


book  for  ?  '  '  Where  did  I  what  ?  '  '  Where  did  you  book  V  I 
he  meant,  put  my  name  on  the  coach  register,  and  so  I  replied,  '  For 
London.'  '  Sir,  you  are  mistaken.''  Well,  thought  I  to  myself,  it  will 
not  be  the  first  nor  the  last  time  ;  it  must  have  been  for  the  other  coach. 
Then  the  coachman  suggested  that  he  could  catch  them.  So  I  seated 
myself  by  his  side,  and  was  entertained  with  a  variety  of  hints  pointing 
to  a  common  centre,  namely,  that  he  must  be  paid  pretty  liberally  for  run- 
ning his  horses.  So  when  we  overtook  the  others  I  paid  him  two  dollars 
and  a  quarter.  But  lo,  that  was  not  the  coach;  but  I  might  get  on  that  by 
paying  fare  to  Birmingham.  This  was  done  accordingly,  amounting  to 
another  item  of  eleven  dollars.  Reaching  Birmingham,  I  found  my 
coach,  and  was  permitted  to  go  to  Londoa  without  any  additional  charge. 
To  continue  the  chapter  of  mistakes  without  exact  regard  to  chronology, 
I  was  at  one  time  receiving  from  guards  and  coachmen  very  profound 
bows  when  I  paid  their  fees ;  and,  again,  grumbling  and  scowls  when  I 
underpaid  them.  But  mark  the  advantage  they  possessed :  I  knew  noth- 
ing of  the  rates  of  reward  or  wages. 

"I  was,  moreover,  perpetually  talking  about  baggage  (luggage), 
drivers  (coachmen),  stages  (coaches),  etc.  At  Birmingham  I  asked 
the  landlady  where  the  gentleman  of  the  house  was;  I  wanted  to  speak 
to  him.  She  said,  '  There  is  no  gentleman  of  the  house.'  '  But  I  saw 
him,  madam,  just  now.'  'No,  sir;  that  is  the  waiter.'  'I  beg  pardon, 
madam  ;  I  have  not  yet  learned  your  customs.'  But  I  had  not  fin- 
ished my  lessons  yet.  In  hastening  away  from  the  hotel,  the  waiters 
hovering  around  for  their  fees,  I  gave  them  a  pound,  or  four  dollars  and 
a  half,  instead  of  one  dollar  and  a  half,  their  due. 

"  BIRMINGHAM. 

"  On  approaching  this  city,  the  utilitarian  philosopher  who  has  been 
sighing  over  the  lands  abstracted  from  the  useful,  and  wasted  upon  the 
beautiful ;  who  has  exclaimed,  as  each  lawn  or  grove  or  artificial  lake 
opened  upon  his  view,  '  cui  bono  ?  '  —  to  such  an  one  an  abundance  of 
gratification  is  in  reserve.  Of  all  the  desolated  spots  you  ever  saw, 
lying  right  beside  verdure  and  beauty,  this,  perhaps,  is  the  greatest. 
The  sun  seldom  shines  upon  it.  The  atmosphere  is  thick  with  smoke 
which  cannot  often  rise  as  fast,  in  this  humid  climate,  as  it  is  produced 
by  the  countless  steam-machines  which  are  employed  for  the  various 
purposes  of  pumping  the  pits  dry,  raising  the  coal  or  iron,  and  smelting 
the  iron.  An  extensive  vein  of  coal  crosses  the  country  here,  and  is 
most  faithfully  taxed.  One  coal  pit  is  a  thousand  feet  deep  ;  and  often 
the  workmen  are  as  far  as  half  a  mile  from  the  shaft.  They  never  re- 
main very  long  under  ground.  But  horses  live  and  die  there  without 
coming  to  the  light  of  the  sun. 

"  May  30th. — In  the  morning  I  attended  the  Sabbath-school  of  the 


102  LIFE   OF  EDWARD   NORMS  KIRK. 

church  under  the  pastoral  care  of  Rev.  J.  A.  James,  so  well  and  so  fa- 
vorably known  in  our  country.  It  is  delightfully  conducted,  and  with 
great  order.  Heard  Mr.  J.  preach.  His  portraits  do  him  injustice. 
They  always  were  associated  in  my  mind  with  a  Polynesian  face.  But 
he  has  very  good  features  except,  perhaps,  too  short  a  nose.  There  is  a 
very  pleasant  expression  of  intelligent  kindness  upon  his  countenance 
when  speaking. 

"  LONDON. 

"  We  entered  this  smoky,  dingy  little  world  in  the  long  twilight  of 
evening,  and  were  constrained  to  realize  more  truth  than  wit  in  the  com- 
plaint of  Jonathan  on  his  first  visit  to  Boston,  in  not  being  able  to  see 
the  town  for  the  houses.  I  would  that  I  were  able  to  recall  the  stages 
of  feelings,  which  successively  occupied  my  mind.  I  went  gazing  along 
the  streets,  studying  my  map  and  stumbling  against  people,  until  they 
actually  laughed  at  me. 

"  I  felt  truly  lost  in  that  great  city.  But  gradually,  as  my  acquaint- 
ance extended,  as  I  became  more  familiar  with  its  great  divisions  and 
with  its  monuments  of  taste  and  learning,  its  various  objects  of  interest, 
and  especially  with  the  noble  institutions  which  are  concentrated  there, 
I  looked  upon  the  city  with  increasing  veneration;  notwithstanding  its 
physical  foibles,  its  awkward  streets,  and  abounding  wickedness. 

"  House  of  Commons.  —  I  obtained  a  seat  there,  first  by  purchase  of  an 
order  ;  then  by  the  kindness  of  Mr.  Buckingham.  I  saw  and  heard  noth- 
ing of  peculiar  interest.  Lord  John  Russell,  secretary  of  the  Home  De- 
partment, necessarily  occupied  the  floor  very  frequently,  as  a  ministerial 
measure  was  on  the  tapis.  I  saw  Robert  Peel,  Admiral  Codrington,  the 
hero  of  Navarino,  and  other  great  characters.  This  branch  of  Parlia- 
ment sits  in  an  oblong  room  with  three  rows  of  benches  rising  above 
each  other  on  the  right  and  on  the  left  of  the  speaker's  chair.  It  is  a 
perfectly  free  and  easy  assembly.  And  most  of  the  speaking  I  heard 
was  business-like  conversation.  I  heard  O'Connell  make  some  humor- 
ous remarks,  as  I  judged  ;  not  from  hearing  them,  but  from  witnessing 
their  effects  on  the  house. 

"  House  of  Lords.  —  I  had  access  to  the  room  occupied  by  them  ;  but  it 
was  during  their  session  as  a  court,  when  but  three  of  them  are  required 
to  be  present.  One  of  these,  fortunately,  was  Lord  Brougham.  I,  how- 
ever, merely  saw  him,  and  that  at  a  distance. 

"  AGRICULTURE. 

"It  is  very  obvious  that  the  people  of  Great  Britain  bestow  much 
more  labor  and  expense  on  their  grounds  than  we  do  in  America.  This 
is  emphatically  so  in  Scotland,  where  there  are  so  many  rugged  hills,  and 
so  much  waste  land,  as  to  make  whatever  is  arable,  or  capable  of  being 


TRAVELS   IN   GREAT   BRITAIN,   IRELAND,   FRANCE.     103 

rendered  productive,  very  valuable.  The  first  peculiarity  which  meets 
the  traveler's  eye,  is  the  absence  of  wooden  fences  almost  universally. 
This  is  owing  partly  to  the  want  of  wood,  and  chiefly  to  the  facility  with 
which  their  beautiful  hedge  thorns  are  grown.  And  probably  the  stabil- 
ity of  even  their  smallest  bridges  is  owing  to  the  first  of  these  causes. 
The  most  peculiar  feature  is  the  neatness  and  even  beauty  of  their  stacks 
of  corn  and  hay.  They  are  almost  uniformly  constructed  in  regular 
cylinders,  terminated  by  a  graceful  cone,  or  imperfect  cones  resting  on 
the  base  of  inverted  cones  which  are  cut  off  in  the  middle  of  their 
axis. 

"As  to  rent,  I  have  seen  the  poor  wild  fields  on  the  mountains  of 
AVales,  where  it  appeared  as  if  nothing  but  stones  and  moss  could  grow, 
being  rented  at  £3  (or  $13.32)  the  acre;  and  of  good  land  at  £8  (or 
$35.52)  the  acre. 

"  regent's  park. 

"  This  is  one  of  the  great  monuments  of  national  liberality,  —  wealth 
I  should  call  it,  if  they  were  not  in  debt.  To  see  such  an  immense  area 
of  ground  in  the  vicinity  of  such  a  city  as  London,  all  devoted  to  the 
mere  purpose  of  ornament  and  health,  is  truly  impressive.  And  there  is 
not  one  alone,  but  St.  James's  on  one  side  and  Hyde  on  the  other. 

"  On  the  one  side  of  Regent's  Park  is  the  Coliseum,  a  building  of  cir- 
cular form,  containing  the  picture  of  London  taken  from  the  dome  of 
St.  Paul's.  It  is  certainly  a  very  admirable  specimen  of  imitative  paint- 
ing. The  illusion  is  almost  complete.  And  it  affords  to  strangers  a 
better  opportunity  of  seeing  London  than  they  can  obtain  from  the 
cupola  for  themselves,  having  been  drawn  before  the  families  had  begun 
to  kindle  their  fires,  and  to  cover  the  city  with  smoke.  On  the  west  end 
of  the  Park  is  the  Zoological  Garden.  This  public  garden  is  designed 
to  contain,  as  far  as  possible,  specimens  of  all  the  foreign  animals. 
Among  the  rest  are  many  inhabitants  of  the  tropical  climates,  beasts 
and  birds,  which  require  an  atmosphere  artificially  heated  even  now  in 
the  middle  of  May. 

"  WINDSOR   PALACE. 

"  Rode  to  Windsor,  one  of  the  seven  or  eight  royal  palaces.  It  is 
reached  by  passing  through  Eton,  the  celebrated  place  of  classic  educa- 
tion. We  saw  the.  venerable  school-buildings,  and  the  boys  at  play. 
We  crossed  the  Thames,  and  then  ascended  the  hill  to  the  castle  which 
royalty  has  chosen  for  one  of  its  places  of  residence.  William  the  Nor- 
man, misnamed  the  Conqueror,  found  this  site  possessed,  as  most  of  the 
best  in  the  country  were,  by  the  monks.  He  chose  it  for  a  palace,  and 
it  has  ever  since  continued  in  that  use.  We  were  prevented  from  enter- 
ing the  State  Room  usually  visited  by  strangers,  as  it  was  then  employed 


104  LIFE   OF  EDWARD   NORRIS   KIRK. 

as  a  banqueting  room  for  the  intended  feast  at  the  inauguration  of  some 
Knights  of  the  Bath.  We  ascended  to  the  roof  of  the  tower,  from 
which  a  fine  view  of  the  country  can  be  taken. 

"  The  surrounding  park,  containing  a  ride  of  twelve  miles,  is  a  very 
appropriate  appendage  of  a  palace,  and  appears  very  pleasantly  so  long 
as  you  keep  out  of  recollection  the  multitudes  in  this  kingdom  who  are 
starving  for  the  want  of  mechanical  and  agricultural  employment.  The 
tower  now  contains  the  apartments  for  guests.  Sometimes  the  noble 
visitors  are  so  numerous  as  to  make  it  necessary  for  the  gentlemen, 
especially  the  baccalaureate  part,  to  retreat  to  these  less  comfortable 
apartments.  The  walk  upon  the  terrace  is  delightful,  and  is  condescend- 
ingly opened  to  the  tread  of  vulgar  feet  every  Saturday  and  Sunday 
afternoon.  It  is  a  broad,  grand  walk  on  one  side  of  the  palace,  bounded 
by  a  stone  balustrade ;  looking  down  upon  a  beautifully  sloping  bank, 
forty  feet  in  height,  around  the  base  of  which  winds  a  serpentine  walk 
finely  shaded.  From  the  terrace  we  went  to  the  pleasure-garden,  which 
is  reached  on  all  sides  by  broad  flights  of  steps.  It  is  not  extensive,  but 
beautiful,  containing  great  varieties  of  flowers  and  statues,  and,  in  the 
centre,  an  artificial  pond  with  a  jet  d'eau.  We  saw  the  windows  and 
some  of  the  furniture  of  the  king's  rooms,  with  the  maids  and  gentle- 
men of  honor  walking  through  them.  We  were  just  in  time  to  see  his 
majesty  and  his  sister  in  their  coach,  as  they  rode  out  for  an  airing.  We 
received  from  the  Princess  Augusta  a  very  gracious  bow. 

From  the  palace  we  went  to  the  chapel.  To  us  who  had  not  yet  seen 
much  of  the  genuine  Gothic,  this  building  appeared  very  finely.  The 
windows  are  beautifully  painted.  The  columns  are  altogether  the  most 
airy  and  graceful  we  have  yet  seen.  The  ceiling,  like  that  of  most  other 
ancient  chapels,  is  very  wonderful  to  us,  being  composed  of  stone  very 
finely  carved.  But  the  most  beautiful  object  here  altogether,  is  the  tomb 
of  the  Princess  Charlotte.  We  saw  it  to  a  very  great  advantage,  the  light 
shining  brightly  upon  it  through  glass  stained  mostly  with  an  exceed- 
ingly rich  yellow.  This  threw  over  the  tomb  a  very  peculiar  brightness. 
It  was  very  rich,  yet  not  glaring;  quiet  and  solemn.  The  sculpture  is 
in  part  the  finest  I  had  then  seen  in  England,  or  have  since  seen  after 
visiting  many  places  containing  modern  statuary.  The  whole  is  dis- 
figured by  some  angels,  whose  ethereal  shapes  are  rather  uncouthly  rep- 
resented in  marble.  But  the  Princess,  lying  in  the  stillness  of  death, 
with  several  female  figures  bowed  in  the  most  expressive  attitudes  of 
grief,  with  their  heads  completely  covered,  is  the  most  eloquent  group  in 
marble  that  I  have  ever  seen. 

"Just  before  the  time  of  the  regular  cathedral  service,  the  chanters 
came  in  to  act  their  part  in  the  religious  farce.  It  was  really  disgusting 
to  see  their  levity  just  before  going  to  repeat  the  solemn  liturgical  ser- 
vice. But  their  chanting  was  truly  exquisite.  We  have  none  like  it  in 
America,  I  judge. 


TRAVELS   IN   GREAT   BRITAIN,   IRELAND,  FRANCE.     105 


"  A   SUNDAY    IN    LONDON. 

"  May  1th. — Went  in  the  morning  to  hear  a  preacher  of  some  celebrity, 
Rev.  Christopher  Benson,  one  of  the  clergy  of  the  Establishment.  He 
expounded  the  doctrine  of  the  resurrection  very  well,  so  far  as  he  went. 
In  the  afternoon,  I  wearied  myself  to  find,  and  still  more  to  reach,  St. 
Saviour's  Church  in  Southwark,  in  order  to  hear  another  minister  of  the 
Establishment,  on  Papacy.  It  was  a  mere  repetition  of  the  trite  topics. 
In  the  evening,  I  preached  my  first  sermon  in  Europe  to  a  congregation 
of  Whitefieldian  Methodists,  in  the  Adelphi  Chapel.  Felt  some  awk- 
wardness in  managing  the  gown  and  bands.  On  returning  from  church, 
was  introduced  to  a  gentleman  who  had  lived  in  Carthagena.  I  had 
much  conversation  with  him  relative  to  American  slavery.  He  had  a 
better  opinion  of  the  system  before  the  conversation  than  he  had  after  it. 
This  was  one  of  the  few  instances  in  which  I  have  found  it  necessary  to 
move  on  that  tack  with  an  Englishman.  I  have  generally  been  obliged 
to  defend  my  countrymen,  and  to  deny  exaggerated  statements. 

"  I  heard  to-day  a  man  whom  I  judged  to  be  an  Irvingite,  preaching 
at  the  corner  of  a  street.     The  pauses  were  too  long. 

"COURTS    OF   JUSTICE. 

"  On  Monday  we  passed  through  the  principal  courts.  Judge  Denman 
was  sitting  on  King's  Bench ;  by  his  side  were  Talfourd,  Fellet,  and  a 
brother  of  Coleridge.1  The  dress  of  the  judges  and  lawyers  appeared 
to  us  very  odd,  if  not  ridiculous.  All  of  them  wear  a  wig  containing  two 
or  four  rows  of  stiff  curls,  and  a  stiff  cmeue  all  powdered.  The  former 
have  a  scarlet  velvet  or  ermine  tippet.  The  latter  have  black  gowns, 
very  similar  to  those  worn  by  our  college  students  on  commencement  day. 
We  went  to  the  Bail  Court,  the  Court  of  Exchequer,  where  we  saw  Lord 
Abington,  the  lord  chief  baron.  Here  we  were  put  in  limbo.  I  suppose 
the  fact  was  that  our  party,  consisting  of  four,  and  coming  together  into 
a  small  room,  appeared  somewhat  intrusive  or  rude ;  and  the  door  behind 
us  was  locked  very  silently.  This  was  soon  hinted  to  us,  and  we  were 
obliged  to  stand  very  patiently  until  the  argument  was  closed,  and  then 
to  cross  the  hall  between  the  judge  and  advocates. 

"PREJUDICE    OF    COLOR. 

"It  is  truly  delightful  to  witness  how  nobly  the  English  mind  rises 
above  the  unchristian  and  unphilosophic  spirit  of  prejudice  that  prevails 
in  our  country.  And  an  American  must  be  here,  to  know  the  various 
feelings  of  contempt  and  astonishment  which  this  inconsistent  feature  of 
our  character  excites  in  their  minds.     Many  and  various  illustrations  of 

i  This  is  evidently  a  mistake.  He  probably  means  the  nephew,  Mr.  Serjeant  Cole- 
ridge, now  the  lord  chief  justice. 


106  LIFE   OF  EDWARD  NORRIS   KIRK. 

the  feelings  of  this  people  toward  the  descendants  of  Africa  have  come 
under  my  observation.  Black  men  of  respectable  character  are  called 
gentlemen.  Like  our  own  Hayne,  there  is  one  Preston,  who  is  preaching 
with  much  success  to  a  Baptist  congregation  of  white  people  in  Hadley. 
You  may  see  the  men  of  color  in  the  pews  of  churches  and  on  the  plat- 
forms of  anniversary  meetings  without  any  hesitation  on  the  part  of  those 
who  sit  next  and  around  them. 

"the    tower. 

"  This  venerable  old  building  is  a  volume  of  England's  history,  so 
many  of  her  nobles  have  sighed  in  chains  there,  and  her  lovely  princes 
have  sunk  to  death  within  its  grim  precincts.  Mary  was  here  buried 
from  the  world,  that  she  might  not  make  her  sister's  reign  doubtful  over 
the  hearts  of  her  gallant  knights  or  the  territories  of  the  crown.  We 
saw  the  Armory,  with  its  chronological  arrangement  of  the  coats  of  mail, 
and  its  magnificent  arrangement  of  the  weapons  ;  the  Menageries;  the 
Mint ;  the  Regalia,  which  are  splendid. 

"  dr.  johnson's  lodgings. 

"  The  place  where  the  literary  giant  wrote  his  Dictionary  under  the 
pinchings  of  poverty  is  a  literary  curiosity.  In  fact,  London  abounds  in 
places  of  great  interest.  So  many  literary  men  have  lived  there,  so  many 
interesting  events  of  British  history  have  taken  place,  that  it  must  nec- 
essarily abound  in  noteworthy  associations.  To  a  Christian,  Smithfield 
and  the  resting-place  of  millions  in  Bunhill  Fields  are  not  among  the 
least.  I  had  the  privilege  of  preaching  often  in  Rowland  Hill's  chapel ; 
and  where  the  venerable  Mead  has  proclaimed  the  tidings  of  salvation. 

"  SOCIETY  IN  LONDON. 

"  Every  man  puts  his  own  construction  on  that  indefinable  term, 
society.  Generally,  however,  it  means  the  wealthy  and  intelligent  por- 
tion of  the  community,  who  associate,  through  wealth  or  talent,  with  those 
of  high  birth.  These  make  up  '  society.'  To  enter  that  society  is  very 
difficult  for  an  untitled  foreigner;  and  perhaps  there  could  be  found  some 
who,  after  all,  would  not  consider  that  entering  into  society.  I  am  of 
that  class.  I  got  an  admission  into  society.  It  was  among  intelligent 
and  pious  persons,  and  I  found  it  but  a  repetition  of  what  I  had  enjoyed 
at  home.  It  was  peculiarly  delightful  to  meet,  as  members  of  the  family 
of  Christ,  with  such  a  large  number  of  his  children  at  once,  and  with  not 
less  than  one  hundred  of  them  who  were  ministers. 

"BENEVOLENT    INSTITUTIONS. 

"  These  are  the  glory  of  London,  for  it  abounds  with  them.  Its  hos- 
pitals are  immense,  numerous,  and  elegant.     Its  free  schools  are  among 


TRAVELS   IN   GREAT  BRITAIN,   IRELAND,  FRANCE.     107 

the  best  in  the  world.  Its  orphan  asylums  are  the  very  best.  I  ex- 
amined one  founded  in  1813  through  the  exertions  of  Dr.  Reid.  Its  sit- 
uation is  elegant,  in  the  midst  of  a  very  large  garden  laid  out  in  the  finest 
style.  It  looks  indeed  like  a  country-seat.  Its  moral  and  religious 
influence  is  delightful.  It  contains  now  three  hundred  and  forty-five 
children,  at  an  expense  of  ninety  dollars  each  child  per  annum  to  the 
public.  They  give  rewards  of  money  for  good  conduct,  which  is  put  in 
the  savings  bank.  But  they  have  a  more  powerful  stimulus.  Every 
child's  character  is  drawn  by  the  decision  of  his  peers.  Then  the  pre- 
eminent have  their  names  inscribed  in  gold  letters  on  the  '  Table  of 
Honor  '  when  they  leave  the  school.  The  whole  establishment  is  thor- 
oughly inspected  once  a  month  by  a  house  committee.  The  machinery 
for  airing  and  drying  and  ironing  clothes  is  the  most  admirable  I  have 
seen. 

"  GREENWICH   FAIR. 

"  I  went  down  on  the  railroad  to  see  Greenwich  and  Woolwich,  and 
was  quite  pleased  to  find  that  I  was  in  time  to  witness  one  of  their  fairs. 
But  such  a  scene  of  wickedness  and  low  amusement  had  never  met  my 
eye.  I  was  delighted  to  find  the  pious  young  men  of  Greenwich  exhort- 
ing and  distributing  tracts  among  the  licentious  crowd.  Greenwich  Hos- 
pital was  a  palace,  and  is  now  a  truly  noble  edifice,  making  the  poor 
mariner  as  comfortable  a  retreat  as  this  earth  can  afford  him.  Woolwich 
Yard  I  could  not  see,  for  the  want  of  time. 

"  ROUTE    TO    DUBLIN. 

"  We  took  coach  for  Oxford,  and  rode  over  a  very  delightful  country. 
I  fell  into  conversation  with  several  young  Oxonians.  We  debated  the 
question  of  an  Established  Religion.  Their  great  reliance  was  on  the 
objection  that  voluntary  contribution  would  not  raise  the  means  to  sup- 
port the  clergy  respectably.  I  was  very  happily  able  to  speak  of  a  great 
many  men  who  were  as  respectable  as  character  could  make  them,  and 
to  whom  the  addition  of  another  coat  a  year  would  be  as  important  as 
the  fifth  wheel  to  a  coach. 

"  OXFORD. 

"  We  entered  this  venerable  town  just  in  the  evening,  in  time  to  be- 
hold, still  by  daylight,  its  forest  of  towers,  needles,  spires,  and  domes. 
The  next  morning  a  young  graduate  took  us  around  to  the  most  inter- 
esting objects.  The  structures  of  several  are  really  beautiful;  the  Bod- 
leian and  Radcliff  libraries  are  magnificent.  We  were  quite  reluctant  to 
leave  them.  Many  fine  manuscripts,  some  antique  painted  glass,  Guy 
Fawkes's  lantern,  were  among  the  curious  things  we  saw.  Fremi  Oxford 
we  proceeded  to  Woodstock  and 


108  LIFE   OF  EDWARD  NORMS  KIRK. 


"  MARLBOROUGH   CASTLE. 

"  We  were  fortunately  just  in  time  to  go  through  with  the  last  party 
to  be  admitted  that  day.  This  splendid  seat  was  given  by  Queen  Anne 
to  the  great  Marlborough.  But  oh,  how  is  the  fine  gold  dimmed !  The 
present  incumbent  is  a  thorough  imbecile.  The  park  of  twelve  acres  is 
one  of  the  most  elegant  in  England.  The  palace  contains  many  fine 
paintings.  Some  of  the  rooms  are  lined  with  tapestry  representing 
Marlborough's  victories.  A  china  table  is  shown,  painted  by  the  Queen 
of  France,  and  a  statue  of  Queen  Anne  in  a  solid  block  of  marble,  which 
cost  twenty-three  thousand  five  hundred  dollars.  The  library  is  one 
hundred  and  eighty  feet  long,  containing  seventeen  thousand  volumes, 
with  superb  ceilings  and  marble  pilasters.  It  opens  into  a  botanical 
garden  two  miles  in  extent.  The  door-strikers  are  fine  specimens  of 
workmanship;  oak  floors.  Vandyke's  great  picture  there  is  prized  at 
fifteen  thousand  dollars. 

"  WARWICK   CASTLE. 

"  After  furnishing  ourselves  with  Woodstock  gloves,  we  hastened  on  to 
Stratford-on-Avon,  to  perform  our  pilgrimage  to  the  cradle  and  the  tomb 
of  Shakespeare.  His  chamber  is  literally  covered  with  the  scrawls  of 
those  who  would  thus  express  their  respect  for  his  talents, — Byron, 
Scott,  and  who  not.  Some  steal  a  fragment  from  the  old  wooden  chim- 
ney-piece. I  contented  myself  with  a  pebble-stone,  which,  though  it 
had  not  seen  him,  had  lain  near  his  house.  His  tomb  is  in  the  church 
at  some  distance.  A  slab  tells  that  he  and  others  of  his  family  are  there. 
Warwick  Castle  we  reached  next  morning.  It  is  the  best  preserved 
ancient  castle  of  England.  It  is  partly  Saxon.  The  family  dates  from 
the  time  of  Elizabeth,  from  the  celebrated  Guy.  We  were  shown  through 
the  portcullis  and  frowning  battlements,  along  a  winding  road  recently 
cut  down  in  the  high  banks  which  flank  the  castle.  We  entered  into  the 
old  hall  of  the  domestics,  completely  lined  with  oak,  still  in  good  preser- 
vation. 

"  The  comfortable  old  fire-place  which  could  eat  up  a  cord  of  wood  in  a 
winter's  night,  the  old  chairs,  a  table  of  precious  stones  three  hundred 
years  old,  the  state  bedroom  unchanged,  the  very  bed  of  Queen  Anne, 
the  apartment  of  the  Earl  of  Essex,  —  all  carried  us  back  to  remote  days 
whose  recollections  are  to  us  all  poetry  and  romance.  There  are  some 
very  good  portraits  :  Charles  I.,  by  Vandyke;  Joanna,  Queen  of  Naples, 
enameled  on  copper  by  Raphael  ;  a  floor  in  mosaic;  a  room  all  lined 
with  cedar  well  carved.  Heard  a  sister  of  the  earl  playing  the  piano  in 
the  next  room;  and  it  was  certainly  noble  playing.  She  very  politely  left 
the  room  to  give  us  an  opportunity  of  entering  it.  We  were  carried  to 
the  tower  and  guard-rooms  of   the  ancient  times,  and  along  the  walls 


TRAVELS   IN   GREAT  BRITAIN,   IRELAND,  FRANCE.     109 

from  which  the  hristling  armor  used  to  defy  the  foe.  There  is  a  subter- 
ranean passage  leading  six  miles  to  Kenilworth  Castle.  The  old  gar- 
dener was  very  polite,  and  showed  us  his  cedars  of  immense  size,  his 
elegant  greenhouse,  and  the  celebrated  Warwick  vase,  the  body  of  which, 
all  in  one  block,  is  seven  feet  across  the  top,  holding  one  hundred  and 
sixty-three  gallons.  The  whole  is  twenty-three  feet  high  and  of  the 
most  perfect  style  of  workmanship.  The  top  and  base  were  found  seven 
miles  apart  in  a  river.  It  was  made  forty  years  before  Jesus  Christ  was 
born.  At  the  porter's  lodge  they  preserve  the  armor  of  Guy.  He  was 
nine  feet  high;  his  sword  weighs  twenty  pounds.  His  stewing-pot  con- 
tains one  hundred  and  two  gallons.  His  shield  and  spear  weigh  one 
hundred  and  seven  pounds.  Who  can  be  skeptical  after  that  of  the  facts 
recorded  in  the  Bible  of  Goliath  and  the  other  giants?  By  the  way,  this 
said  Guy  must  have  been  rather  a  coarse  fellow,  as  you  would  judge 
from  seeing  the  iron  mess-pot  from  which  he  ate  his  porridge.  The 
young  Lord  Broke  was  going  out  to  ride,  and,  in  passing,  saluted  us 
very  courteously. 

"  KENILWORTH. 

"  It  was  a  short  excursion  to  Kenilworth.  But  when  you  get  there,  it 
is  Scott's  picture  which  gives  it  more  than  half  its  interest.  It  is,  how- 
ever, a  very  pretty  ruin.  It  was  built  in  1106,  being  selected,  as  most 
other  elegant  sites  were,  by  the  monks.  The  buildings  of  Henry  VIH. 
are  still  to  be  seen,  Lancaster's  building,  the  banqueting-halls  above 
and  below,  Melvyn's  bower,  etc.  But  we  could  not  fix  the  spot  of  Amy 
Robsart's  prison-room. 

"  We  passed  directly  on  to  Coventry  and  Birmingham,  where  we  took 
the  mail-coach  for  Dublin.  We  passed  the  one  hundred  and  sixty  miles 
to  Holyhead  in  fourteen  hours. 

"wales. 

"  The  scenery  which  presents  itself  on  this  route  is  very  American. 
The  road  passes  through  a  country  which  resembles  our  most  sterile  dis- 
tricts, abounding  in  limestone  and  in  mountains  without  a  shrub.  In  the 
lonely  hills  of  Caernarvon  I  did  not  see  even  a  solitary  bird.  Some  huts 
were  scattered  here  and  there,  as  on  the  North  River  Highlands.  The 
suspension-bridge  which  unites  the  island  of  Anglesea  with  the  main-land 
is  a  noble  monument  of  British  enterprise.  Its  one  span  is  five  hundred 
feet  in  length,  and  is  high  enough  for  the  tallest  ship  to  pass  beneath.  1 
found  an  agreeable  companion  in  Mr.  Blake,  member  of  parliament  for 
Dublin. 

"  DUBLIN. 

"  We  arrived  here  by  steamer  in  the  morning  after  leaving  Birming- 
ham, two  hundred  and  twenty  miles.     When  we  landed,  it  was  as  much 


110  LIFE   OF   EDWARD  NORMS   KIRK. 

as  the  policeman  could  do  to  keep  our  baggage  from  being  mauled  to 
fragments.  And  nothing  could  keep  the  beggars  of  all  forms  and  sizes 
from  assailing  us.  Poor  Ireland!  the  first  thing  that  one  sees  is  thy  pov- 
erty, fruits  of  priestly  and  political  tyranny.  Dublin  is  a  beautiful  city. 
Its  inhabitants  are  said  to  be  very  refined,  and  its  women  elegant.  We 
saw  on  Saturday  many  of  them  promenading,  quite  pretty  in  features, 
and  with  a  sweet  expression  of  intelligence  and  amiable  disposition.  On 
Trinity  Sunday  heard  a  defense  of  the  Trinity  in  the  chapel  of  Trinity 
College.  The  music  of  Haydn's  <;  Creation  "  drew  a  great  number  to  the 
first  part  of  the  service,  who  then  left  at  the  beginning  of  the  sermon. 
The  student's  dress  is  rather  pretty. 

"JOURNEY   THROUGH   IRELAND. 

' '  The  Castle  is  said  to  contain  an  embalmed  body,  of  which  the  story 
is,  that  the  original  rent-lease  was  given  at  a  penny  per  acre  '  as  long  as 
a  body  is  above  ground.'  It  is  now  two  hundred  and  eighty  years  that 
the  lessees  have  kept  that  body  above  ground.  There  are  two  tilings  I  do 
not  know,  —  whether  it  be  true;  and,  if  true,  whether  an  American  jury 
would  allow  such  trickery  to  prevail.  Passed  through  Dundalk,  where  a 
fair  was  in  progress  for  the  traffic  in  potatoes.  It  was  a  truly  Irish  scene, - 
as  potatoes  have  come  to  stand  for  a  kind  of  emblem  of  the  agriculture 
and  even  physical  life  of  the  nation.  Newry  has  a  beautiful  site,  lying 
toward  the  sea,  and  the  mountain  views  in  this  district  are  fine.  Passed 
the  Holy  Well,  where  the  sick  come  and  leave  some  fragment  of  a  gar- 
ment as  a  charm.  This  is  the  most  glaring  sign  of  a  national  supersti- 
tion we  have  yet  met.  There  is  a  large  bush  completely  covered  with 
rags  of  all  colors,  which  the  poor  deluded  creatures  have  hung  up  to 
scare  themselves  into  the  possession  of  health.  As  you  advance  north 
in  Ireland,  a  pleasing  change  takes  place.  But  it  seems  to  me  that 
somebody's  conscience  ought  to  be  troubled  at  the  miserable  condition  of 
the  Irish  villages.  That  there  should  be,  right  across  the  channel  from 
England,  a  people  under  the  same  government,  who  are  so  entirely  con- 
trasted from  the  English  peasantry,  —  so  filthy,  so  poor,  so  degraded,  is 
owing  to  some  immense  moral  instrument ;  either  the  political  or  the 
ecclesiastical  lords  must  be  held  responsible.  We  passed  a  Danish  fort 
of  the  olden  time.  It  is  very  interesting  to  meet  these  landmarks  and 
vouchers  of  history.  There  are  here  also  some  round  towers,  supposed 
to  have  been  temples  of  the  fire-worshipers. 

"giant's  causeway. 

"  We  first  visited  a  cave  six  hundred  and  sixty-six  feet  deep,  ninety- 
six  feet  high,  very  grand  in  its  appearance,  and  awful  in  the  sepulchral 
reverberations  of  the  human  voice  and  of  the  waves  of  the  North  Sea, 
wdiich  roll   in  here  with  all  their  unbroken  force.     There  are  several 


TRAVELS   IN   GREAT  BRITAIN,  IRELAND,  FRANCE.     Ill 

headlands  composed  of  columnar  basalt.  I  had  formed  a  wrong  estimate 
of  the  causeway  by  confounding  it  with  Fingal's  cave  in  Staffa.  This 
induced  a  feeling  of  disappointment.  I  imagined  columns  two  hundred 
feet  high,  all  hexagonal,  and  extending  a  mile  around  the  coast.  But 
when  you  first  go  out  in  the  boat,  you  are  shown  the  Causeway,  a  low 
spot  surrounded  by  hills  two  hundred  and  twenty  feet  high.  The  col- 
umns then  appear  very  slender  and  irregular.  The  feeling  of  disap- 
pointment is  somewhat  diminished  as  you  proceed  to  Bengore  Headland, 
which  has  two  strata  of  columns  separated  by  an  unshapen  mass  of 
basalt,  the  lower  tier  being  thirty,  and  the  upper  fifty  feet  high.  These 
and  several  other  promontories  are  very  imposing.  You  debark  and 
walk  over  many  of  them,  and  are  pointed  to  various  objects  which  the 
superstitious  imagination  of  darker  ages  associated  with  the  persons  and 
employments  of  the  fabled  giant  who  lived  here.  His  chair,  basin, 
pulpit,  grandmother,  court,  chimneys,  are  all  visible.  Then  you  are  led 
to  the  famed  Causeway,  which  was  the  path  he  was  constructing  for  the 
invasion  of  Scotland.  The  great  Causeway  is  seven  hundred  feet  long 
from  its  first  appearance  on  the  land  side  to  the  sea.  You  can  then  see 
it  sloping  down  into  the  sea  as  far  as  the  water  is  transparent.  The 
columns  here  are  fourteen  inches  in  diameter,  forming  in  but  one  known 
case  a  figure  even  nearly  equilateral.  That  one  is  a  beautiful  pentagon. 
The  others  are  three,  four,  six,  nine  sided,  being  all  composed  of  pieces 
from  six  to  fourteen  inches  in  length,  convex  at  one  end  and  concave  at 
the  other.  At  Fairhead,  it  is  said  that  there  are  columns  one  hundred 
feet  long  without  a  joint. 

"  Sir  Francis  McNaughton  has  a  beautiful  situation  near  the  Cause- 
way. We  wandered  around  the  bold  coast  at  Port  Rush  for  more  than 
a  mile,  being  detained  there  in  waiting  for  the  steamer.  My  feelings  of 
disappointment  were  somewhat  relieved  in  passing  the  Causeway  out  at 
sea.  The  headlands  are  grand,  although  they  throw  the  Causeway  itself 
completely  in  the  shade.  The  Causeway  has  no  grandeur  to  the  eye. 
The  imagination,  following  it  far  down  into  the  sea,  makes  it  indeed 
sublime  ;  but  to  the  eye  it  is  no  more  than  curious,  while  the  high  bluffs 
rising  four  hundred  feet  with  their  successive  strata  of  columnar  basalt 
are  truly  majestic.  It  is  no  difficult  effort  of  the  fancy  to  transform 
them  into  coliseums  and  monasteries  of  gigantic  structure,  in  the  most 
beautiful  forms  of  Gothic  architecture. 

"  PASSAGE   TO   SCOTLAND. 

"We  entered  the  Frith  of  Clyde,  May  26th.  Stopped  at  Greenock, 
the  first  spot  of  my  father-land  which  1  touched ;  passed  the  Unicorn,  a 
Liverpool  steamer;  went  on  board  of  her  at  Greenock.  She  is  the  most 
splendid  vessel  I  ever  saw.  Went  to  Dumbarton;  passed  its  famed  rock 
and  castle,  but  had  not  time  to  ascend.     Went  from  D.  to  Reuton,  the 


112  LIFE   OF  EDWARD  NORRIS   KIRK. 

birthplace  of  Smollett.  The  citizens  have  erected  a  monument  of  granite 
to  his  memory.  Sir  James  Cahoan  has  an  estate  on  Loch  Lomond, 
twenty-five  miles  in  extent.  Came  in  sight  of  Ben  Lomond,  three  thou- 
sand one  hundred  feet  high,  being  ascended  by  a  road  five  miles  in 
length.  We  prepared  to  mount,  but  were  prevented  by  bad  weather. 
Loch  Lomond  is  wild  and  romantic. 

"GLASGOW. 

"  Our  sail  up  the  Clyde  was  enchanting.  It  is  a  superb  river.  On 
Sunday  I  went  first  to  the  High  Church  (rather  an  ominous  title),  which 
was  formerly  the  papal  cathedral.  It  is  one  of  the  most  beautiful  speci- 
mens of  Gothic,  but  poorly  adapted  to  Protestant  worship.  The  preacher 
was  sound  and  strong,  but  abstract  and  somniferous,  composing  his  audi- 
ence one  by  one  into  calm  slumbers.  Oh,  how  much  talent  is  wasted  in 
the  gospel  ministry,  by  not  being  directed  to  the  human  mind  in  its 
actual  state !  Cui  bono  !  cui  bono  !  one  is  constantly  forced  to  exclaim  in 
hearing  such  sermons.  A  thousand  of  them  would  never  trouble  a  slum- 
bering conscience,  nor  turn  a  sinner  to  Christ.  Yet  to  a  mind  accus- 
tomed to  reflection  on  theological  truth,  this  sermon  was  admirably  cal- 
culated to  deepen  the  impression  of  the  glory  and  sublimity  of  God's 
providence.  But  the  preacher  mistook  his  place.  He  ought  to  have 
delivered  the  sermon  to  a  class  of  theological  students.  The  whole  ser- 
vice savored  to  me  of  that  treacherous  system  which  omits  Christ  and 
Him  crucified;  cold!  cold! 

"  Dr.  Wardlaw  has  a  fine  congregation.  His  church  is  a  school  ;  the 
people  all  having  their  Bibles  and  following  him  in  his  quotations  and 
explanations  of  texts.     His  sermon  was  one  of  a  series  on  moral  duties. 

"  STIRLING    CASTLE. 

"  This  venerable  pile  is  situated  on  an  elevation  which  rises  in  great 
abruptness  from  the  plain  on  the  north  side.  From  its  height  are  seen 
the  palace  of  James  I.  and  V.,  Queen  Anne's  buildings,  Abbey  Craig 
where  Charles  the  Pretender  drew  up  his  troops,  Ochill  Hills  with  a 
well  of  water  on  the  highest,  and  the  only  one  having  water.  Edin- 
burgh is  seen  thirty-four  miles  away.  The  Grampians  are  in  sight ; 
Craig  Forth,  a  huge  rock  abruptly  rising  from  a  flat.  The  place  is  twelve 
miles  distant,  where  Wallace  and  Bruce  were  victorious.  Loch  Leven, 
twenty-five  miles,  where  Mary  was  carried  by  Douglas.  Hurley  Hockey, 
where  in  '45  the  rebels  beheaded  the  nobles,  and  the  farm  given  by 
James  to  a  farmer  who  had  often  entertained  him  as  '  the  guid  man  of 
Ballanquick  '  are  in  plain  sight.  It  is  not  known  who  built  the  old 
palace.  The  Parliament  palace,  the  grating  over  the  window  of  Mary's 
prison,  the  room  where  James  II.  was  beheaded  by  Douglas,  Ben  Lo- 
mond on  the  south-west  side,  the  King's  Knot, or  Round  Table,  Bannock- 


TRAVELS   IN   GREAT  BRITAIN,  IRELAND,  FRANCE.     113 

burn, —  all  in  view,  —  the  rising  ground  where  the  women  and  children 
burst  suddenly  upon  the  sight  of  the  English  and  alarmed  them.  In  the 
castle  is  the  den  for  the  lions,  the  place  of  the  ancient  tournaments,  and 
the  room  where  James  VI.  of  Scotland  was  educated  by  George  Bu- 
chanan. 

"  Route  to  Edinburgh.  —  Passed  by  the  beautiful  valley  of  the  Forth. 
Saw  the  birthplace  of  Mary  Queen  of  Scots. 

"  EDINBURGH. 

"  This  is  one  of  the  loveliest  of  cities.  It  is  in  part  singularly  built, 
having  streets  crossing  other  streets  twenty  and  sixty  feet  above  them 
in  the  air.  The  houses  in  the  new  portion  are  in  good  taste  ;  and  the 
public  buildings,  monuments,  and  gardens  throw  a  charm  over  the  whole 
city.  Holyrood  House  was  built  by  James  V.,  and  finished  in  the  reign 
of  Charles  II.  The  ruins  of  the  royal  chapel  show  its  former  beauty. 
The  tombs  of  tbe  nobles  are  ranged  around  it.  In  this  chapel  Mary 
was  married  to  Darnley.  Here  is  the  royal  tomb  with  the  bones  actually 
exposed  to  view.  But  royal  dust  looks  like  other  dust.  You  see  the 
tomb  of  Bishop  Wiseheart,  1671  ;  Lord  Belhaven,  1639  ;  the  confession- 
room  of  Mary;  Marquis  of  Breadalbane's  apartments.  The  picture  gal- 
lery was  built  by  the  Stuarts  for  a  ball-room.  All  the  kings  of  Scotland 
are  there  on  canvas.  The  apartments  of  Mary  are  very  interesting,  con- 
taining her  very  furniture,  —  a  mirror  and  a  table  brought  by  her  from 
France;  her  chair  and  Lord  Darnley's,  and  one  wrought  by  her  ;  the 
old  grate  on  the  hearth  ;  her  bed  and  tapestry  ;  a  work-box  with  tapestry 
showing  Jacob's  dream  ;  the  room  in  which  Rizzio  was  at  supper  with 
Mary  and  the  Duchess  of  Argyle,  when  he  was  struck  dead  by  Darnley 
and  his  associates.  The  stain  of  his  blood  on  the  floor  of  the  outer 
chamber,  whither  they  dragged  him  from  the  supper  room,  yet  remains. 
The  dressing-room  contains  the  furniture  she  brought  from  France,  and 
a  glass  put  in  by  her  father.     Her  miniature  is  there. 

"  I  had  letters  to  Dr  Chalmers  ;  but  unfortunately  he  was  absent.  He 
is  preparing  to  shoot  a  death-shot  at  our  anti-establishment  doctrines." 

At  the  end  of  October  Mr.  Kirk  returned  to  London. 
There  he  found  but  little  rest,  preaching  in  the  Surrey 
Chapel  (Rowland  Hill's)  three  times  on  the  first  Sabbath  ; 
addressing  the  Maternal  Association  on  Monday  ;  preaching 
on  Tuesday  evening  for  the  Seamen's  Society  ;  for  the  Young 
Men's  Society  on  Wednesday  ;  for  Mr.  Philip,  of  Maberly 
Chapel,  on  Sunday,  and,  in  the  afternoon,  to  his  Sunday- 
school  ;  in  the  evening,  to  the  British  Young   Men  in  Dr. 


114  LITE   OF  EDWARD  NORMS  KIRK. 

Cox's ;  on  Monday,  addressing  the  Female  Refuge  ;  on 
Wednesday,  preaching  for  the  London  Female  Mission,  be- 
sides making  three  temperance  addresses. 

"  ROUTE  TO  PARIS. 

1 '  I  suffered  more  in  crossing  the  Channel  than  in  crossing  the  Atlantic. 
At  Calais  it  seemed  to  me  strange  that  a  number  of  military  men  should 
board  the  boat,  take  away  our  baggage,  demand  our  passports,  and  alto- 
gether treat  us  like  suspected  persons.  But  I  found  that  we  had  now 
come  under  the  system  of  European  espionage,  and  that  there  was  but 
one  alternative  —  calm  submission.  Calais  is  an  old  town,  probably  the 
port  whence  Caesar  set  sail  for  Britain.  It  has  a  strong  citadel  and 
quite  a  pleasant  promenade  upon  its  ramparts.  Calais  will  ever  be  a 
monument  of  patriotism  because  of  the  sacrifice  of  the  six  noble  citi- 
zens who  offered  themselves  in  1347  to  save  their  country.  We  passed 
through  a  kind  of  country  enth"ely  new  to  me.  It  was  strange  to  see  no 
fences  nor  hedges,  all  the  cattle  and  sheep  grazing  under  the  vigilant 
care  of  the  shepherd  and  his  sagacious  dog. 

"We  passed  through  many  interesting  towns,  and  not  far  from  the 
forest  Cre'cy,  where  Edward  the  Black  Prince  gained  his  memorable  vic- 
tory. St.  Denis  contains  a  church  originally  belonging  to  a  Benedictine 
Abbey,  the  burial  place  of  the  French  kings.  Revolutionary  fury  de- 
stroyed it.  Napoleon  began  to  restore  it,  and  in  the  subterranean  chapel 
he  erected  three  expiatory  altars,  —  one  for  the  race  of  Clovis,  another 
for  that  of  Charlemagne,  a  third  for  the  Capetians.  The  reparations  are 
still  advancing.      Some  very  fine  monuments  are  found  there. 

"  The  road  from  St.  Denis  to  Paris  is  almost  a  street  lined  with 
houses,  passing  by  Montmartre,  Belleville,  and  Chaumont,  which  are 
memorable  for  resisting  the  allied  armies  or  for  being  defended  by  the 
pupils  of  the  Polytechnic  School. 


"  The  gay,  the  wicked,  the  learned,  the  royal  Paris  is  before  me.  Its 
gates  have  just  opened.  I  come  in  a  stranger  to  its  customs  ;  its  people, 
its  language,  and  everything  strikes  me  as  strange;  the  vehicles,  the 
pavements,  the  houses,  the  signs.  The  first  day  after  arriving,  I  started 
directly  off  to  hear  a  French  lecture,  to  begin  to  accustom  my  ear  to  the 
spoken  language.  I  found  that  translating  a  language  from  a  book  is  a 
very  different  thing  from  understanding  it  when  spoken." 

During  Mr.  Kirk's  stay  in  Paris,  Dr.  Baird,  then  secretary 
of  the  Foreign  Evangelical  Society,  invited  him  to  commence  a 
Sabbath  service  in  a  little  chapel  in  the  Rue  St.  Anne.     Mr. 


TRAVELS   IN   GREAT   BRITAIN,   IRELAND,  FRANCE.     115 

Kirk  consented,  and  was  delighted  to  find  immediate  evidence 
that  the  arrangement  was  very  agreeable  to  Americans  pass- 
ing through  the  city  or  resident  there.  Our  excellent  am- 
bassador, Governor  Cass,  a  true  American,  considered  it  an 
American  institution,  preventing  the  youth  of  our  country 
then  in  that  wicked  city  from  being  swept  away  from  the 
morality  of  their  fathers  and  the  love  of  their  country.  Mr. 
Kirk  used  playfully  to  call  Governor  Cass  "  Deacon."  The 
governor  not  only  used  to  persuade  his  friends,  American 
and  English,  to  attend  service,  but  performed  the  sexton's 
part  in  seating  the  people  ;  often  himself  sitting  on  the  steps 
of  the  desk  to  accommodate  others.  It  was  a  strange  sight 
in  the  midst  of  gay  Paris,  the  long  line  of  coaches  of  the 
nobility  and  the  elite  waiting  in  front  of  the  little  chapel 
every  Sabbath.  The  British  ambassador's  wife  passed  by 
her  own  chapel,  and  was  an  habitual  attendant  upon  this. 

"  I  must  pay  a  tribute,"  subsequently  wrote  Dr.  Kirk,  "  to 
Governor  Cass's  amiable  family,  whose  kind  civilities  were 
so  agreeable  to  me  in  that  land  of  strangers  ;  and  none  of 
them  will  think  it  invidious  if  I  should  mention  with  special 
interest  that  amiable,  modest,  godly  woman,  the  wife  and 
mother,  who  gave  to  Europeans  so  beautiful  an  exhibition  of 
the  spirit  of  Christ  in  her  high  position."  • 

The  following  letter  recounts  an  interesting  episode  in  this 
friendly  intercourse,  and  prepares  us  for  his  departure  from 
Paris  to  make  a  tour  in  southern  Europe  :  — 

"  Paris,  January  9,  1838. 
"My  dear  Sister,  —  I  have  postponed  writing  until  this  evening, 
supposing  that  you  would  be  interested  in  hearing  the  report  of  my  pres- 
entation at  the  court  of  France.  Understanding  from  Governor  Cass 
that  I  might  go  in  a  black  dress  with  white  gloves,  I  determined  to  be  in- 
troduced to  the  royal  family.  I  went  with  eight  or  ten  Americans.  We 
passed  through  the  long  suite  of  rooms  in  the  Tuileries  (perhaps  ten  rooms, 
of  thirty  feet  in  length),  brilliantly  lighted,  with  a  liveried  usher  at  each 
door.  After  waiting  half  an  hour  in  the  salon  which  contains  the  throne, 
we  were  arranged  in  single  file  all  around  the  room,  under  our  respective 
ambassadors,  British,  American,  Austrian,  etc.  This  was  a  small  pres- 
entation, of  not  more  than  sixty.     All  but  myself  and  a  British  clergy- 


116  LIFE   OF  EDWARD   NORMS   KIRK. 

man  were  arrayed  in  brilliant  uniform  or  a  court  dress.  The  royal  family 
were  at  last  ushered  in.  First  the  king  is  introduced  to  each  person  by 
name.  He  says  a  few  commonplace  things.  After  he  has  passed  a  little 
distance,  the  queen  follows  with  the  Princess  Clementina  leaning  on  her 
arm.  She  speaks  to  each  one,  the  princess  merely  bowing.  Then  the 
Princess  Adelaide,  the  king's  sister,  follows.  And  finally,  the  heir- 
apparent,  the  Duke  of  Orleans.  The  king  asked  me  what  part  of  New 
York  I  was  from ;  stated  that  he  had  never  seen  Albany.  Mr.  Cass 
observed  to  him  that  I  had  not  a  sword  because  I  was  a  clergyman. 
'  That  is  just  as  it  should  be,'  he  remarked.  I  said  that  by  his  majesty's 
clemency  I  was  permitted  to  appear  in  my  simple  garb.  '  I  am  de- 
lighted,' said  he,  'to  see  you  here  as  you  are.'  The  queen  made  re- 
marks upon  the  propriety  of  my  appearing  in  the  robes  of  peace  ;  so  did 
the  duke.  Mademoiselle  Adelaide  merely  asked  me  how  long  I  had 
been  in  Paris;  how  long  I  proposed  to  stay.  The  king  and  his  son  were 
in  uniform;  the  ladies  were  dressed  simply,  the  two  elder  having  little 
riding-hats  with  the  rim  turned  up  in  front,  and  feathers  —  the  princess 
with  a  hat,  and  a  white  boa  around  her  neck.  This  court  is  the  most 
simple  and  unostentatious  that  France  has  had  for  years.  Think  what 
it  was  under  Napoleon!  wdien  ladies  found  it  necessary  to  practice  for 
three  weeks  the  step  which  they  should  make  when  introduced.  To- 
morrow night  comes  the  grand  ball,  to  which  I  am  invited,  of  course, 
from  having  been  presented  to-night.     But  I  will  not  go. 

"  We  have  had  uncommonly  mild  weather  until  last  night.  And  it  is 
now  cold,  severely  cold;  yet  nothing  like  our  genuine  Albany  winter. 
But  everything  freezes,  even  in  my  chamber.  In  these  mild  climates 
they  do  not  provide  well  for  the  winter.  The  houses  are  cold.  Not  a 
carpet  have  I  seen  in  all  the  palace  this  night.  I  have  none  in  my  cham- 
ber nor  parlor. 

■  "I  am  purposing  to  travel  in  Italy  in  March.  I  want  to  be  in  Rome 
during  the  '  Holy  Week.'  As  to  Palestine,  I  am  afraid  that  the  want  of 
time  and  of  money  will  disappoint  my  hopes.  Governor  Cass  has  almost 
tempted  me.  He  says  that  for  five  hundred  dollars  I  can  make  the  tour 
from  Paris.  You  of  course  want  to  know  what  my  plans  are.  I  cannot 
tell  you.  They  are  not  yet  sufficiently  determined.  But  it  is  not  im- 
possible that  I  shall  stay  here  until  Mr.  Baird  can  go  to  America  and 
organize  the  society  that  employs  him,  and  return.  He  is  very  anxious 
that  I  should;  and  the  importance  of  the  work  here  almost  induces  me 
to  consent  to  his  proposal.  Your  brother,  Edward." 


CHAPTER   VII. 

TRAVELS  IN   SOUTHERN  EUROPE. 

1838. 

On  the  1st  of  March,  1838,  Mr.  Kirk  entered  upon  a  tour 
through  parts  of  France,  Italy,  and  Switzerland.  He  left 
Paris  directly  for  the  city  of  Lyons,  among  whose  many  ob- 
jects of  interest  to  him  were  the  bridge  "  built  in  part  by  the 
mighty  Caesar,"  and  the  ruins  of  an  old  Roman  aqueduct. 

From  Lyons  he  went  to  Nismes,  "  the  sacred  spot  of  the 
enthusiastic  antiquarian  !  "  "  You  are  there  introduced  to 
the  Roman  amphitheatre.  There  it  is,  the  identical  build- 
ing in  which  the  old  Romans  used  to  enjoy  their  brutal 
sports,  capable  of  containing  23,000  persons.  It  was  built  by 
seven  of  the  emperors."  The  seats  of  the  magistrates,  ves- 
tals, and  emperors  ;  the  very  cages  of  the  lions  ;  the  immense 
galleries  for  the  spectators,  received  more  than  a  passing 
notice.  The  park  laid  out  by  Louis  XV.,  containing  the 
ruins  of  a  temple  of  Diana,  the  immense  Roman  aqueduct, 
Pont  du  Gard,  once  twenty-five  miles  in  length,  are  only 
reminders  to  us  of  the  traveler's  enthusiasm. 

This  journey  from  Lyons  down  the  Rhone  is  thus  de- 
scribed :  — 

"  The  descent  of  this  river  is  enchanting,  especially  when,  as  now,  the 
waters  are  swollen.  You  glide  down  so  gracefully  and  rapidly  that  it 
makes  a  perpetually  shifting  panorama  of  mountains,  now  pressing  upon 
the  very  brink  of  the  stream,  and  now  retreating  a  hundred  miles  ;  for 
the  view  embraces  even  Mont  Blanc.  Mountains,  ruins,  villages,  and  a 
constant  succession  of  their  ethereal  chain  bridges,  make  it  altogether 
scenery  quite  unique.  We  found  on  this  boat  the  custom  of  restaurants 
instead  of  a  regular  and  general  meal.     In  some  respects  it  is  quite 


118  LIFE   OF   EDWARD   NORRIS    KIRK. 

pleasant.  But  for  the  cleanliness  of  the  boat  and  agreeableness  of  the 
food,  not  much  can  be  said.  We  had  one  poor  drunken  creature  who 
'  paid  for  his  whistle  '  by  being  carried  past  his  place  of  destination, 
and  having  to  find,  in  two  respects,  that  it  is  harder  to  row  up  stream 
than  down. 

"  The  approach  to  Avignon  is  quite  impressive.  It  is  an  entirely  har- 
monious scene  of  the  sombre  cast.  Everything  is  in  keeping.  Not  a  gay 
figure  or  color  disturbs  the  one  grave  sentiment  inspired  by  the  old  castles 
and  walls  of  the  city.  All  is  antique,  venerable,  sombre,  solid.  We 
rested  here  to  see  the  seat  of  papal  grandeur  in  the  days  of  its  rivalship 
with  Rome.  Much  of  the  old  palace  of  the  popes  is  remaining,  though 
now  changed  into  a  casern  for  the  army;  opposite  to  it  is  the  building 
then  used  for  a  mint,  that  must  once  bave  possessed  some  architectural 
beauty.  Strangers  are  first  taken  to  the  Saloon  of  Reception  ;  from  that 
to  the  Tribunal  of  the  Inquisition.  Yes,  it  is  a  striking  fact  that  cruelty 
and  horrid  injustice  have  left  their  indelible  stain  on  this  building  ;  and 
it  is  the  first  thing  which  meets  the  stranger's  eye  on  entering  this  palace 
of  the  pretended  representatives  of  the  merciful  and  righteous  Saviour. 
The  ceiling  of  this  tribunal  is  a  semi-cylinder,  so  contrived  as  that  the 
sound  of  the  criminal's  voice  should  pass  through  eight  or  ten  holes 
to  an  upper  chamber,  where  the  clerks  of  the  court  noted  down  all 
which  could  be  made  to  betray  the  man  into  the  power  of  that  cruel  in- 
stitution. The  next  room  is  the  Torture  Room  !  Yes,  here,  under  the 
same  roof  with  the  vicar  of  Jesus,  was  the  room  constructed  with  hellish 
ingenuity  to  drown  the  cries  of  the  sufferers.  It  is  open  at  the  top  of  a 
high  chimney,  and  the  walls  present  a  continually  varying  surface  to 
deaden  sound.  Next  is  the  Prison, where  many  a  poor  fellow  has  left  the 
record  of  his  solitary  hours  upon  the  stones.  But  they  and  their  oppress- 
ors have  long  since  stood  before  a  common  and  impartial  judge.  Next 
is  the  chamber,  eighty  feet  above  ground,  with  a  hole  in  the  floor  through 
which  the  condemned  were  sometimes  thrown.  The  mark  of  their  blood 
is  yet  pointed  out.  Next  is  the  awful  furnace  for  burning  men  and 
books.  The  smoke  on  the  chimney  was  said  to  be  sulphurous.  I  could 
not  trust  all  our  guide  said,  for  he  seemed  quite  unfriendly  to  the  Romish 
Church.  He  pointed  out  a  door,  now  walled  up,  which  he  said  led  to  a 
secret  passage  passing  under  the  river  to  the  castle  on  the  opposite  side. 
If  so,  it  was  probably  for  security  in  the  troublous  times  which  so  long 
agitated  this  country.  The  chapel  of  the  palace  was  built  on  the  ruins 
of  an  ancient  temple  dedicated  to  Diana.  The  front  remains  yet,  an  an- 
tique, and  is  truly  beautiful.  The  next  object  of  interest  here  is  the 
Chapelle  de  Miserieordi,  where  the  ten  or  twelve  nuns  have  a  hospital 
containing  one  hundred  and  sixty  insane.  The  same  nuns  have  charge 
of  the  prisoners;  and  formerly  they  had  the  privilege  of  redeeming  one 
criminal  from  death  every  year.  One  whom  they  thus  saved  presented, 
as  a  mark  of  gratitude,  an  ivory  figure  of  Christ  on  the  cross." 


TRAVELS  IN   SOUTHERN  EUROPE.  119 

From  Avignon  to  Marseilles,  —  a  city  with  a  history  of 
more  than  twenty  centuries  ;  thence  to  Nice,  over  whose 
gardens,  blooming  with  roses  and  yellow  with  the  ripening 
oranges,  rest  each  day  the  shadows  of  the  Maritime  Alps. 


"  On  Wednesday  we  started  at  6  p.  m.  for  Genoa.  The  coast  was  a  very 
impressive  object,  as  it  presented  directly  in  front  its  bold,  dark  rocks 
and  ravines  in  contrast  with  the  varied  hills  which  reflected  golden  and 
purple  rays  as  they  stretched  away  in  the  calm  perspective  of  the  west. 
We  arrived  in  good  condition  at  Genoa,  in  the  very  time  to  see  this  beau- 
tiful city  to  advantage. 

"  The  Italians  have  called  this  La  Superba.  From  the  sea  it  rises  beau- 
tifully in  the  form  of  an  amphitheatre,  on  a  declivity  of  the  Apennines. 
But  the  beauty  is  all  lost  to  one  who  has  been  accustomed  to  the  wide 
and  convenient  streets  in  the  United  States,  the  moment  he  enters  the 
town  itself.  To  pass  the  everlasting  topic  of  custom-house  officers  and 
porters  as  lightly  as  possible,  I  may  say  that  we  escaped  very  well ;  for 
while  the  former  were  engaged  in  overhauling  our  goods  and  chattels,  I 
remarked  to  one  of  my  companions,  '  Now  get  out  your  francs.'  '  No,' 
said  the  presiding  officer,  a  man  of  respectable  appearance  ;  '  it  is  not 
permitted.'  But  the  issue  was,  that  our  trunks  were  lightly  fingered  ;  and 
in  the  course  of  an  hour  a  message  came  to  our  hotel  that  they  would  take 
the  money  we  talked  of  giving.  But  fortunately  for  our  purses  and  their 
consciences,  we  were  not  at  home.  The  cathedral  is  not  remarkable  for 
anything  except  an  emerald  vase  which  it  contains,  and  which  is  said  to 
have  been  presented  to  an  old  Jewish  king  named  Solomon,  by  one  Queen 
of  Sheba  !  Now  begins  the  tax  on  our  faith.  The  other  churches  we 
omitted,  except  the  Annunziata  and  St.  Maria  di  Carignano.  The  latter 
contains  some  fine  colossal  statues,  and  is  altogether  characterized  by  a 
simplicity  of  taste  which  we  have  not  discovered  in  Catholic  churches 
generally. 

"  The  glory  of  Genoa  was,  that  it  contained  the  commercial  enterprise 
of  the  world  at  the  time  of  the  crusaders,  rivaling  Venice  in  the  mighty 
trade  which  those  fanatical  labors  originated  ;  that  it  breathed  a  lofty 
spirit  of  independence  in  the  days  of  the  Dorias  ;  that  it  had  a  Christopher 
Columbus  !  But  those  days  have  passed ;  and  now  the  traveler  is  in- 
troduced to  the  elegant  though  not  spacious  palaces,  which  are  the  pur- 
chase of  that  wealth  ;  but  nothing  else  to  show  him  what  Genoa  has  been. 
We  found  it  difficult  to  discover  any  monuments  of  gratitude  to  the  great 
men  who  have  given  her  so  high  a  name  on  the  page  of  history.  It  is  true 
they  do  preserve  in  a  large  cylinder,  resembling  a  Russian  stove,  the  au- 
tographs of  Columbus,  and  a  bust.     But. as  to  the  autographs,  they  are 


120  LIFE   OF  EDWARD   NORMS  KIRK. 

under  three  locks,  the  keys  of  which  are  kept  by  three  different  officers ; 
and,  unfortunately  for  us,  one  of  them  was  in  the  country,  and  so  we  took 
it  all  on  trust.  And  as  to  the  bust,  I  have  now  seen  three ;  and  am  in- 
clined to  say  of  all  of  them,  in  the  language  of  certain  classic  authors, 
'  None  of  your  humbug.'  There  is  a  marquis  who  has  a  curious,  rather 
than  a  handsome,  garden  on  the  steep  part  of  a  hill.  He  puts  there  the 
busts  of  the  great,  living  or  dead.  He  has  the  second  edition,  enlarged 
and  improved,  of  the  bust  of  the  aforesaid  navigator.  They  look  as  much 
alike  as  any  other  two  human  beings  that  have  not  lost  any  attributes  of 
the  race  from  their  visages.  Among  other  busts  in  this  garden  are  one 
of  Washington  and  one  of  the  most  celebrated  living  Genoese,  —  Paganini, 
the  violinist. 

"But  after  all  this  eloquent  jeremiad  and  profound  criticism  on  the 
condition  of  Genoa,  let  it  be  remarked,  that  we  were  there  two  days,  and 
under  the  guidance  of  an  uneducated  cicerone.  I  had  a  letter  to  the 
American  consul,  who  lives  in  one  of  the  palaces,  in  truly  splendid  apart- 
ments, and  with  a  degree  of  comfort  which  would  certainly  render  any 
ordinary  American  house  too  small  and  too  vulgar  for  his  republican- 
ship. 

"  The  ducal  palace,  where  the  Doges  once  resided,  is  an  ugly  building, 
built  on  the  ruins  of  the  old  palace  consumed  by  fire.  All  the  beautiful 
statues  in  it  were  destroyed  by  revolutionary  frenzy.  Oh,  it  makes  the 
heart  sick  as  one  travels  in  Europe,  to  see  that  where  time  has  paid  a 
sacred  regard  to  the  beautiful  achievements  of  human  art,  the  barbarous 
hand  of  man  has  ravaged  them,  and  left  us  but  the  fragments  which  pro- 
voke, not  satisfy,  our  curiosity.  Here  you  see  a  veritable  prow  of  one  of 
the  old  Carthagenian  galleys  discovered  in  1597. 

"  To  return  to  this  matter  of  Columbus.  I  am  willing  to  admit,  in  can- 
dor, two  things:  that  I  did  not  see  everything  which  Genoa  contains,  and 
that  we  cannot  expect  Europeans  to  feel  about  the  discovery  of  America 
as  we  do.  We  have  all  their  feelings  as  men  generic,  and  then  others 
specifically  American.  But  in  regard  to  the  first,  after  all,  I  think  that 
a  stranger  should  not  be  able  to  visit  Genoa  without  having  the  name 
of  Columbus  mingling  with  the  very  rays  of  the  sun.  I  think  it  a  burn- 
ing shame  that  in  Genoa  itself  we  cannot  see  the  very  features  of  the 
man  to  whom  we  owe  so  much.  To  be  sure,  the  attempt  to  give  us  his 
likeness  is  praiseworthy.  But  it  ought  to  be  written  so  that  none  could 
mistake  it;  this  is  the  ideal  Columbus  of  such  a  man.  In  that  light  it  is 
pleasant  to  look  at  the  masterpieces  of  Grecian  sculpture  which  embody 
their  conceptions  of  certain  intellectual  and  moral  attributes  which  they 
ascribed  to  their  gods.  There  it  is  well,  because  no  one  is  deceived. 
But  it  is  rather  tantalizing  to  have  approached  a  bust  in  breathless  ex- 
citement to  look  upon  the  very  features  of  some  venerated  man,  and  in 
the  very  zenith  of  your  enthusiasm  to  have  it  intimated  this  was  made 


TEAVELS  IN  SOUTHERN  EUROPE.         121 

from  descriptions  and  from  the   author's  conception  of  what  Columbus 
was  in  form  and  feature." 

Through  Genoa,  home  of  Columbus,  to  the  southward. 
"  At  one  time  you  are  on  the  edge  of  a  precipice  where  the 
road  has  been  hewn  in  the  sides  of  marble  rocks,  on  the  very 
edge  of  the  sea.  On  the  one  side  is  the  immense  sheet  of 
water  mingling  its  distant  brim  with  the  sky  ;  on  the  other, 
mountains  crowned  to  their  summits  with  olive  gardens,  vine 
yards,  and  cypresses."  Through  Carrara,  renowned  for  its 
marble  ;  through  Pisa,  ancient  town  of  Etruria,  with  its  build- 
ings of  Grecian  and  Gothic  splendor,  its  Baptistery,  its 
Leaning  Tower,  its  Campo  Santo  (Holy  Field),  so  called  be- 
cause its  soil  was  brought  from  Mount  Calvary ;  through 
Leghorn  —  to  the  Eternal  City. 

"  ROME. 

"  There  is  no  spot  on  this  earth  which  has  so  many  associations  of 
earthly  grandeur  as  modern  Rome.  It  is  here  we  are  now  standing  ; 
and  here  we  confess  ourselves  the  subjects  of  impressions  altogether 
novel.  Perhaps  the  first  reflection  of  a  visitor  from  our  '  practical '  land 
is  awakened  on  seeing  the  vast  uncultivated  Campagna  around  the  city 
of  Rome,  and  the  paralyzed  population  that  lazily  tread  its  streets.  How 
sad  the  lesson ! 

"  The  gay  traveler  visits  Rome  as  one  of  the  great  cities  of  the  world. 
He  has  been  in  London,  in  Paris,  in  St.  Petersburg,  in  Vienna.  He  has 
had  a  round  of  exciting  occupations,  and  hoping  to  live  at  the  same  de- 
gree above  blood-heat,  he  comes  to  Rome.  His  disappointment  is  great. 
He  arrives  during  the  Holy  Week.  As  he  approaches  the  city,  she  sits 
in  solitary  majesty,  like  a  widow  in  her  weeds.  The  soil  that  lies  around 
the  vast  sepulchre  of  an  empire  refuses  to  bloom  with  flowers  or  even  to 
encourage  the  pursuits  of  agriculture.  He  enters  the  gate;  all  is  grave, 
and  often  sombre,  in  her  streets.  He  asks  for  her  theatres  ;  they  are 
closed.  He  goes  to  lounge  in  a  coffee-house ;  it  is  the  day  of  a  solemn 
festival,  and  the  doors  are  closed.  He  sees  every  amusement  checked  ; 
the  ladies  are  in  half-mourning.  He  has  letters  to  families  ;  they  receive 
him  kindly,  but  can  offer  him  no  gay  circle,  no  soire'e,  no  ball.  He  came 
to  Rome  to  enjoy  himself,  and  flies  from  it  in  disgust. 

"  The  utilitarian  comes  from  the  land  of  commerce,  railroads,  and 
agriculture.  The  moment  he  sees  the  deserted  plains  around  the  city,  in 
a  vast  circle  of  more  than  a  hundred  miles,  he  exclaims,  '  Why  don't  they 
drain  it  ?  '    He,  too,  enters  the  gate;  looks  for  commerce,  ships,  steamers, 


122  LIFE   OF  EDWARD  NORMS   KIRK. 

wharves,  bustle,  and  all  the  signs  of  activity  and  of  trade.  But  there  are 
none.  A  few  vessels  from  the  Mediterranean  approach  the  very  ex- 
tremity of  the  city  ;  and  a  few  straggling  fuel  and  vegetable  boats  lie 
along  the  banks  of  the  Tiber,  within  the  gates.  But  all  is  quiet  as  at 
one  of  our  inland  villages.  No  trade  is  carried  on  at  Rome,  above  petty 
retailing  and  the  sale  of  statuary,  paintings,  mosaics,  etc.  Multitudes 
of  pilgrims  to  its  festivals  and  to  its  works  of  genius  are  constantly  there, 
except  in  the  sickly  season;  but  they  cannot  make  it  gay,  nor  even  lively. 
To  all  this  I  became  quite  reconciled  before  quitting  Rome  the  last  time. 
It  is  fitting  that  the  reflections  inspired  by  the  grave  of  an  empire,  amid 
the  monuments  of  departed  greatness,  should  be  undisturbed  by  anything 
which  encourages  even  the  cheerful  feelings. 

"  In  describing  some  of  the  features  of  modern  Rome,  I  would  present 
it  under  the  aspects  of  the  Fine  Arts,  Social  Customs,  and  of  Religion, 
because  in  these  respects  its  impressions  are  very  different. 

"  Architecture. 

"  My  predilections  being  altogether  with  the  antique  school,  I  must  at 
once  say  I  cannot  admire  modern  Rome  in  this  respect.  Unquestionably 
in  many  respects  St.  Peter's  stands  unrivaled.  But  in  some  of  the  most 
important,  I  must  consider  it  eminently  faulty,  and  as  a  proof  that  man- 
kind were  but  emerging  from  the  period  of  corrupted  taste  when  it  was 
built.  It  lacks  simplicity  and  majesty.  The  entrance  is  finely  conceived; 
an  immense  semicircular  portico  of  four  rows  of  columns  of  massive 
size  surrounding  an  open  court  more  than  six  hundred  feet  wide  and 
seven  hundred  and  fifty  long  ;  followed  by  a  corridor  of  two  hundred  feet 
(about),  which  forms  a  kind  of  wing  to  the  church.  These  porticoes 
are  crowned  with  colossal  statues  ;  and  the  Place,  or  court,  has  two  splen- 
did fountains,  besides  the  immense  Egyptian  obelisk,  for  ornaments. 
The  whole  open  space  in  front  of  St.  Peter's  is  one  thousand  and  seventy 
feet  long.  The  porticoes  contain  two  hundred  and  eighty-four  Doric 
columns,  and  sixty-four  pilasters.  Under  the  middle  section  two  car- 
riages can  pass  abreast.  There  is  something  very  pleasant  in  the  sep- 
aration of  places  for  worship  apart  from  the  ordinary  buildings  of  a 
city.  And  the  conception  of  Michael  Angelo  was  indeed  magnificent.  He 
wished  to  form  a  portico  entirely  to  the  Castle  of  St.  Angelo,  perhaps  a 
mile  in  length.  Had  he  carried  out  that  conception,  and  put  the  dome 
near  the  front  of  the  church,  I  think  no  one  would  ever  have  heard  of 
disappointment  in  first  beholding  St.  Peter's.  This  church  was  three 
hundred  and  fifty  years  in  building;  and,  in  fact,  is  not  completed  yet, 
if  it  is  to  be  entirely  lined  with  marble.  It  has  cost  thirty  million  dollars. 
Thirteen  popes  and  fifteen  architects  have  carried  it  through  its  succes- 
sive stages.  To  return  to  its  defects  ;  it  lacks  the  simple,  chaste,  round 
columns  and  the  right-lined  entablature  of  Greece.     It  is  Roman,  and 


TRAVELS   IN   SOUTHERN  EUROPE.  123 

that  is  its  fault.  All  its  pilasters  are  cut  up  into  strips,  instead  of  being 
plain  and  massive.  Its  ornaments  are  rather  tawdry  and  elegant  than 
impressive.  The  mosaics  of  the  dome  are  very  rich  ;  but  they  are  not  in 
good  taste. 

"  But  I  have  done  with  fault-finding;  and  I  must  now  do  justice  to 
my  own  feelings.  My  heart  became  attached  to  it,  and  I  quitted  it  with 
reluctance.  Its  proportions,  magnitude,  and  riches,  must  be  seen  to  be 
imagined.  To  compare  its  size:  St.  Paul's,  in  London,  is  four  hundred 
and  ninety-nine  feet  by  two  hundred  and  fifty-one;  Milan  Cathedral,  four 
hundred  and  ten  by  three  hundred  and  twelve;  St.  Peter's,  five  hundred 
and  seventy-five  by  four  hundred  and  seventeen.  Its  dome  is  its  won- 
der. Bramante  conceived  'the  design  of  it.  He  erected  for  it  four 
columns,  each  two  hundred  and  six  feet  in  circumference.  It  is  one 
hundred  and  thirty  feet  in  diameter,  elevated  on  these  four  columns,  one 
hundred  and  sixty-six  feet  high.  It  is  itself,  including  its  pillars,  lan- 
terns, ball  and  cross,  four  hundred  and  twenty-four  feet  high.  Its  walls 
are  double,  measuring  twenty-two  feet  through.  The  proportions  of  the 
building  are  so  exquisite  that  one  is  deceived  in  the  size  of  everything. 
The  eye  is  offended  with  nothing.  To  speak  of  its  riches  and  splendor, 
—  statues,  tombs,  marbles,  precious  stones,  paintings,  the  largest  and  most 
exquisite  mosaics,  meet  the  eye  everywhere.  Bronze,  gold,  and  marble 
seem  to  form  a  degree  of  splendor  which  I  had  never  before  conceived  of. 
Particular  descriptions  I  cannot  give  here. 

' '  Museums  and  Galleries. 

"  The  Vatican  itself  is  worth  a  voyage  from  America.  If  I  had  seen 
but  it  I  had  been  repaid.  It  is  a  pontifical  palace,  pertaining  to  St. 
Peter's,  situated  behind  one  of  its  porticoes.  Its  immensity  can  be  ap- 
preciated by  the  number  of  its  chambers,  which  is  eleven  thousand. 
Charlemagne  lived  in  the  palace  on  this  spot  when  he  came  to  be 
crowned  by  Leo  III.  For  it  should  be  remarked,  that  the  present  St. 
Peter's  is  built  upon  the  ancient  one,  whose  chapels  remain  undisturbed 
in  solemn  silence  and  darkness,  under  the  present  magnificent  structure. 

"  We  begin  with  the  two  chapels  which  it  contains,  as  you  meet  them 
first  after  mounting  the  splendid  staircase.  The  Pauline  Chapel  is  not 
remarkable.  But  the  Sistine  contains  the  great  work  of  Michael  Angelo. 
He  was  engaged  nearly  five  years  in  painting  the  parts  committed  to 
him.  The  ceiling  has  rather  an  odd  mixture  of  the  Old  Testament  and 
paganism.  But  judges  say  that,  as  a  work  of  art,  it  and  the  '  Last 
Judgment '  on  the  wall  at  the  end  of  the  chapel  are  unrivaled.  To  my 
untaught  eye  nothing  was  impressive  except  the  figures  of  the  Prophets. 
But  it  is  not  in  a  few  places  at  Rome  that  one  feels  his  ignorance. 

"  The  Lodges  of  Raphael  are  a  kind  of  compartment  or  section  into 
which   the   portico   around   the  main  court   of  the  Vatican  is  divided. 


124  LIFE   OF  EDWARD  NORMS   KIRK. 

These  were  ornamented  by  the  celebrated  arabesques  of  Raphael,  to- 
gether with  his  Old  Testament  history.  I  could  see  no  special  beauty 
except  in  the  arabesques,  a  species  of  graceful  but  fantastical  ornament. 

"  The  Corridor  of  Inscriptions  is  a  collection  of  the  epitaphs  found 
on  pagan  and  ancient  Christian  tombs.  They  are  very  interesting,  and 
some  very  touching.  The  emblems  of  death  used  by  the  Greeks  and 
Romans  were  much  more  poetic  than  ours.  We  have  a  horrid  skeleton. 
They  had  either  a  lion  pouncing  upon  some  feeble  animal,  or  an  angelic 
being  mournfully  holding  a  flambeau  with  its  flame  pressed  upon  the 
earth  to  extinguish  it. 

"  The  Library.  —  This  surpasses  all  others  in  the  world  by  the  number 
of  its  manuscripts,  Greek,  Latin,  Italian,  and  Oriental,  and  the  printed 
works  of  the  fifteenth  century.  The  ante-chamber  has  seven  interpret- 
ers employed  by  the  government.  The  next  apartment  is  two  hundred 
and  sixteen  feet  long,  forty-eight  broad,  and  twenty-eight  high.  This 
immense  hall  is  lined  with  cases  full  of  manuscripts.  Next  come  two 
galleries  four  hundred  paces  long,  full  of  manuscripts.  Next,  the  collec- 
tion of  the  sacred  utensils  employed  by,  and  instruments  of  torture  em- 
ployed against,  the  ancient  Christians.  Then  come  other  collections  of 
pagan  antiquities,  chiefly  in  bronze. 

' '  Literature. 

"  On  the  literature  of  modern  Rome  I  must  say  less  than  on  other 
branches;  because  very  few  strangers  can  get  access  to  the  literary  treas- 
ures or  men  of  that  city.  I  had  a  letter  which  gave  me  a  general  ac- 
quaintance with  the  prodigy  of  his  age,  Mezzofanti.  I  found  him  talking 
Hebrew  with  his  Jewish  domestic.  He  turned  and  conversed  very  flu- 
ently in  English  and  with  very  little  accent.  He  is  said  to  speak  forty- 
five  languages  and  to  know  more  than  fifty.  He  and  Mai,  both  lately 
made  cardinals,  are  perhaps  the  most  learned  men  in  the  world.  The 
system  of  education,  except  in  the  Propaganda,  I  conjecture  to  be  very 
feeble.     But  there  are  many  learned  men,  and  several  superb  libraries. 

"  The  student  of  Latin  literature  will  find  here  a  thousand  objects  to 
give  a  '  local  habitation  '  to  things  which  before  had  but  a  '  name.' 
There  are  so  many  remains  which  time  and  human  barbarism  have  spared 
to  locate  public  and  private  buildings,  to  demonstrate  to  the  eye  Roman 
magnificence  and  taste,  to  form  the  ground  for  local  associations,  that 
every  former  conception  becomes  more  definite  and  vivid.  There  is  in 
fact  a  reality  given  to  men  and  things  which  mere  descriptions  are  ca- 
pable of  furnishing  to  but  few  minds.  You  walk  here  amid  the  very 
temples,  villas,  groves,  statues,  columns,  and  arches  which  witnessed  the 
presence,  the  triumph,  the  rise  and  fall  of  those  mighty  names.  Here 
is  the  statue  of  Pompey,  before  which  Csesar  fell.  Here  are  the  images 
or  busts  of  Cicero,  of  most  of  the  emperors,  the  idols  they  worshiped, 


TRAVELS  IN  SOUTHERN  EUROPE.         125 

the  tombs  of  their  dead,  their  mighty  mausoleums,  their  roads,  their 
sewers,  their  theatres,  their  mile-posts.  The  scenes  of  the  most  interest- 
ing events  in  their  history  are  here  authentically  indicated. 

One  cannot  but  feel  an  increased  veneration  for  the  intellectual  traits 
of  the  old  Roman  character.  They  did  everything  on  a  mighty  scale. 
The  very  ruins  of  the  buildings,  which  they  have  left,  carry  the  impres- 
sion of  their  bold  ambition.  Rome  with  them  was  everything.  She  was 
the  mistress  of  the  world,  and  they  meant  to  make  her  worthy  of  her 
title.  Such  massiveness  and  solidity  of  architecture,  such  extent  and 
magnificence;  such  variety,  quantity,  and  richness  of  ornament  speak  the 
lofty  soul  of  that  people.  One  must  feel  this  when  he  rides  over  the  very 
unmoved,  unaltered  pavement  which  they  laid  down  two  thousand  years 
ago;  and  when  he  sees  the  Coliseum,  composed  of  squared  stones  of  large 
size,  every  one  of  which  was  brought  from  Tivoli,  a  distance  of  twenty 
miles. 

"But  amid  these  monuments  of  their  grandeur,  you  feel  too  that  they 
were  men.  They  have  all  passed  away.  And  the  religion  which  they 
so  cherished  has  given  place  to  another.  Their  temples  have  all  been 
purged  and  consecrated  to  the  religion  which  makes  no  compromise  with 
any  form  of  paganism.  And  yet  as  a  Protestant  I  think  that  if  one  of 
the  old  priests  should  come  out  of  his  tomb  in  the  midst  of  some  of  the 
ceremonies,  he  would  find  himself  more  at  home  with  the  modern  worship 
than  with  that  of  him  whom  they  call  Prince  of  the  Apostles. 

"  Amusements. 

"  We  have  left  to  us  specimens  of  their  theatres,  amphitheatres,  cir- 
cuses, baths,  villas.  The  theatres  are  those  of  Pornpey  and  of  Marcel- 
lus.  The  former  seated  twenty-eight  thousand  spectators.  Nothing, 
however,  is  left  but  some  foundation  stones  under  a  modern  palace.  At- 
tached to  this  theatre  was  an  immense  portico  to  shelter  the  people  in 
inclement  weather.  It  contained  the  celebrated  Curia,  in  which  Caesar 
was  murdered  by  Brutus.  Here  you  see  the  very  spot.  And  in  the  Palazzo 
Spada  you  see  the  very  statue  before  which  it  was  done.  What  more 
can  the  enthusiastic  antiquarian  ask?  But  the  remains  of  Marcellus's 
Theatre  are  altogether  more  interesting,  because  so  much  more  entire. 
It  is  interwoven  with  modern  houses;  but  yet  shows  much  of  its  an- 
cient grandeur.  This  was  the  second  theatre  built  at  Rome,  and  was 
erected  by  Augustus  in  honor  of  his  nephew  Marcellus;  and  its  architect- 
ure is  so  fine  as  to  have  served  for  a  model  to  all  succeeding  ages.  But 
one  thing  I  must  premise  in  speaking  of  the  beauty  of  antiques.  There 
is  a  great  disappointment  to  many  Americans  who  have  heard  such  en- 
thusiastic descriptions  of  European  architecture  and  antique  fragments. 
I  take  my  own  feelings  as  a  specimen.  In  reading  these  delineations, 
I  have  always  given  play  to  my  imagination,  and  seen  splendid  buildings 


126  LIFE   OF  EDWARD   NORMS   KIRK. 

of  chaste,  unsullied  marble  brilliant  in  its  virgin  whiteness,  or  elegant  in 
the  variety  and  richness  of  its  colors.  No  such  tbing  is  found.  Not  a 
marble  building  in  Europe  have  I  seen  that,  considered  in  regard  to 
colors,  is  not  disgusting. 

"  But  with  tbe  antiques  there  are  two  sources  of  gratification,  both  in 
the  imagination.  The  one  consists  in  carrying  out  the  fragments  in 
their  proper  proportions,  and  realizing  what  was  once  the  form  of  the 
entire  building  or  statue.  This  is  a  kind  of  exercise  very  much  like 
that  of  the  great  Cuvier.  Only  show  him  an  old  mouldy  bone  of  a  shape 
and  proportions  he  had  never  seen  before;  he  could  soon  restore  the 
1  entire  animal; '  and  all  this  from  his  profound  knowledge  of  the  ani- 
mal organization.  Such  is  the  pleasure  of  a  thorough  antiquarian  visit- 
ing Rome.  He  not  only  feels  that  his  '  tread  is  on  the  dust  of  empires,' 
but  he  is  able  also  to  repeople  these  silent  fields,  to  reconstruct  their 
buildings,  to  give  life  and  splendor  to  their  scenes  of  war,  of  triumph,  of 
luxury,  and  of  mourning.  There  is  in  the  gallery  of  the  Vatican  a 
torso  or  fragment  of  a  statue  which  has  lost  its  head,  arms,  and  almost  all 
the  legs.  Yet  it  is  a  perfect  treat  to  the  well  taught  connoisseur  to  see 
it.  And  this  is  because  he  finds  in  it  the  nucleus  of  beautiful  concep- 
tions of  a  statue.  There  is  another  allied  source  of  pleasure,  also  inde- 
pendent of  association.  It  consists  in  abstracting  the  conception  of  form 
from  that  of  color.  And  although  the  color  be,  as  observed,  disgusting,  by 
a  proper  direction  of  the  attention,  all  that  passes  away  and  nothing  is 
seen  but  the  beauty  of  outline  and  form.  But  to  return,  Marcellus's 
Theatre  is  a  pretty  shabby  affair,  any  one  might  say  who  had  once  seen 
the  capitol  at  Washington;  and  yet  every  time  it  is  closely  contemplated 
by  the  help  of  the  voluminous  treatises  that  have  now  accumulated  on 
all  these  objects,  the  more  interesting  does  it  become.  It  was  four  stories 
high ;  formed  in  a  semicircle  terminated  by  a  straight  line.  Each  of  the 
stories  in  the  outer  wall  was  of  a  different  order  of  architecture.  The 
diameter  was  two  hundred  and  sixty  seven  feet. 

"  There  are  remains  of  two  amphitheatres,  which  differed  from  the 
theatres  in  being  completely  round  or  elliptical.  Before  speaking  of 
them,  however,  I  must  not  omit  to  mention  that  a  portico  was  attached  to 
this  theatre  almost  rivaling  it  in.  magnificence.  It  was  called  Octavia's 
Portico,  in  honor  of  the  emperor's  sister.  It  was  in  the  form  of  a  paral- 
lelogram with  a  double  range  of  columns,  which  are  supposed  to  have 
amounted  to  two  hundred  and  seventy.  It  was  ornamented  with  statues 
made  by  the  masters  of  that  day.  Nothing  is  now  left  but  the  ruins  of 
a  side-entrance.  You  can  now  see  four  columns  and  three  pilasters, 
which  show  what  the  rest  were.  The  remains  of  the  Temple  of  Juno, 
which  stood  within  this  portico,  are  likewise  now  visible.  Of  the  re- 
maining amphitheatres,  one  was  in  brick.  It  had  two  stories  ornamented 
with  columns  and  half-columns  of  the  Corinthian  order.     It  was  appro- 


TRAVELS  IN  SOUTHERN  EUROPE.         127 

priated  to  the  combats  of  soldiers  with  wild  beasts,  and  to  military  fetes. 
From  this  circumstance  it  was  denominated  The  Military  Amphitheatre. 

"  The  Coliseum. 

"  The  Emperor  Flavius  Vespasian  caused  it  to  be  erected  after  his  re- 
turn from  the  conquest  of  Jerusalem.  He  placed  it  in  the  garden  of  the 
celebrated  Palace  of  Nero,  or  of  the  Cassars.  These  buildings  were  ap- 
propriated to  those  savage  games  in  which  the  Romans  delighted. 
Sometimes  they  continued  one  hundred  days.  Five  thousand  beasts  and 
many  thousands  of  gladiators  were  killed  during  that  time.  Sometimes 
the  whole  area  was  covered  with  naval  combats.  In  the  Middle  Ages  this 
was  turned  into  a  fort  by  the  noblesse  who  were  warring  with  their 
neighbors.  Time  had  spared  this  noble  building  to  that  period.  But 
the  ruthless  hand  of  man  then  began  its  destruction.  It  was  afterwards 
changed  into  a  hospital;  and  then  the  stones  were  removed  to  build  the 
palaces  of  Venice,  of  the  Chancelry,  the  Farnesian,  and  the  Port  Ripetta. 
It  was  not  until  the  beginning  of  this  century  that  special  preserving  care 
was  given  it. 

"  There  were  three  rows  of  arcades  on  the  outside,  one  above  another, 
ornamented  with  demi-columns  and  their  entablatures.  Each  row  con- 
tained eighty  arches.  Above  these  was  a  fourth  order,  or  an  attic  orna- 
mented with  pilasters  and  windows.  The  lowest  rank  of  columns  is 
Doric,  the  second  Ionic,  the  third  and  fourth  Corinthian.  The  building 
is  oval,  1,641  feet  in  circumference  and  157  high.  A  multitude  of  frag- 
ments of  columns  and  statues  have  been  found  in  it,  so  that  it  must  once 
have  been  rich  in  these  ornaments.  The  arena  itself  is  285  feet  long, 
182  wide,  and  748  in  circumference.  Around  it  was  a  little  wall  to 
defend  the  spectators  from  the  wild  beasts.  Then  commenced  the  nights 
of  seats  or  steps  which  went  completely  round,  rising  one  above  another. 
It  seated  87,000  spectators.  It  was  open  at  the  top,  and  yet  could  be 
covered  by  an  immense  awning  to  protect  from  the  rain  and  sun. 

' '  One  of  the  most  interesting  objects  in  Rome  is  the  interior  of  this 
building  as  viewed  from  the  highest  story  by  moonlight.  Tbe  immense 
size  of  the  building,  the  ruins  of  one  side  overgrown  with  ivy,  the  light 
of  the  torches  through  the  winding  arcade,  contrasted  with  the  soft  light 
of  the  moon  stealing  in  on  one  side,  and  the  thick  darkness  covering 
some  of  the  recesses,  the  stillness  of  the  same  contrasted  with  the  bustle 
and  animation  that  once  reigned  there,  the  recollection  of  the  groans  of 
beasts  and  men,  the  savage  sbouts  of  the  multitude,  the  pomp  of  the  em- 
perors ;  and  then  of  the  martyrdom  of  the  Christians  whose  blood  has 
stained  that  soil,  whose  spirits  rose  to  rest  from  that  thus  consecrated 
spot,  make  altogether  an  hour  of  such  emotions  as  one  can  never  forget, 
and  yet  cannot  wish  too  often  repeated.  There  is  as  much  poetry  there 
as  in  any  spot  in  Rome. 


128  LIFE   OF  EDWARD  NORRIS   KIRK. 

"  Viewed  merely  in  its  present  form,  it  possesses  no  other  interest  than 
that  of  a  large  mass  of  well  arranged  stones.  All  its  interest  must  there- 
fore arise  from  the  memory  and  the  imagination.  In  giving  full  scope  to 
these  faculties,  we  felt  our  first  visit  there  to  be  among  the  most  interest- 
ing which  we  have  made  in  this  wonderful  city.  We  had  at  once  his- 
tory, poetry,  and  eloquence,  addressing  us  with  the  most  interesting 
themes.  The  fact  that  Titus  tore  down  parts  even  of  the  golden  pal- 
ace of  the  Ca?sars  to  make  room  for  it,  and  all  this  to  give  a  zest  to  the 
life  of  the  meanest  Roman,  —  this  must  be  considered  an  evidence  of  at 
least  intellectual  grandeur ;  and  no  one  can  study  such  monuments  with- 
out feeling  an  increasing  impression  from  them.  This  is  the  agreeable 
train  of  reflections  which  occupies  the  mind  there.  But  all  the  rest  is 
sad.  On  the  one  hand,  the  scenes  which  once  were  witnessed  within 
these  walls,  nay,  for  which  they  were  erected,  give  them  a  painful  inter- 
est. It  was,  indeed,  but  the  spirit  of  the  age.  Still,  it  shows  that  Roman 
magnanimity  and  philosophy  could  not  take  away  the  brutal  spirit  of 
cruelty.  This  was  the  favorite  resort  of  all  ages,  conditions,  and  sexes. 
Here  the  lisping  infant  was  taught  by  the  very  mother  that  suckled  it 
to  lift  his  tiny  shout  when  some  poor  beast  or  some  more  wretched 
man  lay  groaning  and  weltering  beneath  the  fatal  blow.  And  when 
Christianity  had  begun  to  soften  the  hearts  of  one  part  of  the  nation, 
the  others  only  brought  out  their  bloodthirsty  spirit  in  stronger  exercise ; 
and  in  place  of  the  beasts  and  prisoners  who  once  gave  life  to  the  scene, 
and  the  sight  of  whose  flowing  blood  gladdened  Roman  hearts,  it  was  now 
the  Roman  citizen,  the  Roman  matron,  nay,  the  very  neighbor,  whose 
quivering  limbs  and  expiring  groans  delighted  alike  the  savage  beasts 
and  savage  men  of  Rome.  The  Coliseum  is  a  bloody  monument;  not 
the  less  interesting,  however,  as  a  monument.  It  is  sad,  too,  to  contrast 
the  past  with  the  present.  Once  what  life,  what  brilliancy  animated 
this  spot!  The  emperors,  the  nobles,  the  poets  and  the  philosophers, 
the  orators  and  the  soldiers  of  Rome  have  occupied  these  places  —  within 
these  walls  have  been  collected  again  and  again  the  beating  pulse  of 
ambition,  the  hearts  glowing  with  love  and  patriotism;  tens  of  thousands 
have  here  lifted  their  thunder-shout  to  the  heavens.  But  to-night  all 
is  still  as  a  sepulchre  should  be;  nothing  breathes  but  the  sentinel  and 
the  traveler;  nothing  is  heard  but  their  monotonous  tread.  Oh,  it  is 
easy  here  to  feel  that  Rome  was ;  that  the  pride  and  power  of  man  is 
vanity. 

"  The  Baths. 

"  Moderns  can  have  no  conception  of  the  extent  to  which  the  Romans 
carried  their  love  of  ease,  elegance,  and  luxury,  until  he  has  seen  or 
heard  of  the  ruins  of  their  baths.  Instead  of  being  a  snug  little  box  of 
ten  feet  by  twenty,  they  have  actually  been  large  enough  to  contain  four 


TEAVELS   IN   SOUTHEEN  EUEOPE.  129 

such  buildings  as  the  City  Hall  in  Albany.  There  are  four  particularly 
meriting  notice.  Of  one,  however,  that  of  Agrippa,  which  was  built  in 
connection  with  the  celebrated  Pantheon,  we  need  say  nothing. 

"  Baths  of  Caracalla. 

"  These  had  sixteen  hundred  places  for  bathers.  The  famous  Apollo 
Belvedere,  the  Farnesian  Hercules,  the  Farnesian  Bull,  and  the  Farne- 
sian  Flora,  most  celebrated  statues  of  antiquity,  were  found  here.  If 
they  were  ornamented  with  such  works,  their  magnificence  must  have  been 
inconceivably  great.  To  get  an  idea  of  their  extent :  consider  that  they 
were  one  thousand  and  fifty  feet  longvas  many  broad,  or  four  thousand 
two  hundred  feet  around.  There  were  chambers  for  guards  and  stewards 
attached  to  the  establishment,  splendid  mosaic  pavements,  places  for  gym- 
nastic exercises,  library  rooms,  picture-galleries,  etc.  They  are  now  a 
mass  of  ruins,  —  but  the  height  of  the  remaining  walls,  the  great  vaults 
or  alcoves  in  the  two  middle  halls,  the  immense  granite  columns,  —  which 
have  been  carried  to  Florence,  —  the  immense  bathing  tubs  in  basalt,  all 
serve  to  fill  the  spectator  with  astonishment  and  respect,  at  least,  for  the 
energy  and  taste  of  ancient  Rome. 

"  Baths  of  Diocletian. 

"  There  were  places  for  three  thousand  two  hundred  persons  to 
bathe  in.  Beautiful  porticoes,  courts,  groves,  delicious  alleys,  magnificent 
saloons  ornamented  the  immense  establishment.  Schools  of  science  and 
gymnastics,  the  famous  Ulpian  library  from  Trajan's  Forum,  contributed 
to  its  grandeur. 

"  Baths  of  Titus. 

"Here  the  people  bathed,  philosophers  discussed,  orators  declaimed, 
poets  recited,  and  splendid  libraries  and  picture-galleries  spread  their 
riches  before  the  people.  Agrippa  first  built  one  of  these  establishments, 
and  set  the  example  of  making  them  public.  These  of  Titus,  though  not 
so  large  as  those  mentioned,  were  more  elegant.  Here  you  discover 
actually  remaining  on  the  walls  some  perfect  arabesques  whose  colors 
have  retained  their  brilliancy  so  long.  It  is  quite  evident  that  Raphael 
was  greatly  indebted  to  them  for  his  beautiful  works  in  the  lodges  of  the 
Vatican.  Before  leaving  the  baths,  a  word  may  be  said  of  their  bathing- 
tubs  or  vessels,  on  the  same  scale  of  luxury  and  taste  as  their  buildings. 
These  are  not,  however,  ruins;  for  great  numbers  of  them  are  perfectly 
preserved.  They  are  made  in  white  and  black  marble,  in  porphyry,  in 
basalt,  in  granite,  etc.,  varying  from  five  feet  to  eight  in  length,  and  from 
three  to  five  in  height. 
9 


130  LITE   OF  EDWARD  NORMS   KIRK. 

' '  Palaces. 
"  The  remains  of  the  stupendous  monument  of  pride  called  the  Palace 
of  the  Caesars  or  Golden  House  of  Nero,  are  found  upon  Mount  Palatine. 
It  was  begun  by  Augustus  with  great  simplicity,  added  to  by  Tiberius  and 
Caligula;  but  at  last  stretched  by  the  proud,  sensual  Nero  to  cover  more 
than  two  hundred  acres  of  ground.  It  is  difficult  to  conceive  of  its  mag- 
nificence. It  was  decorated  with  a  portico  containing  three  thousand 
columns.  There  have  been  found  in  its  ruins  an  immense  number  of 
chambers  and  saloons  ornamented  with  columns,  statues,  and  precious 
marbles.  The  riches  of  the  empire  were  concentrated  in  this  palace. 
Marbles,  ivory,  gold,  and  precious  stones  dazzled  on  every  side.  The 
dining-rooms  were  decorated  with  tribunes,  whence  flowers  and  perfumes 
were  poured  out  continually;  all  kinds  of  luxury,  delicacy,  and  profusion 
were  exhausted  to  contribute  to  the  pleasures  of  a  whimsical  brute. 
The  most  famous  architects  exerted  all  their  genius  to  make  it  singular 
and  grand  —  and  the  celebrated  Amulius  employed  all  his  life  in  paint- 
ing it.  When  Nero  had  spent  his  first  night  in  it,  his  only  remark  con- 
cerning it  was,  '  Now  I  am  accommodated  like  a  man.'  The  physiog- 
nomist has  only  to  look  at  any  of  his  many  busts  to  see  all  that  and 
much  more  written  in  the  truth-telling  lines  of  his  face.  But  oh,  the 
fate  of  human  grandeur!  Titus  and  Vespasian,  having  been  accustomed 
to  its  riches  from  their  youth,  were  satiated  with  its  brilliancy,  and 
found  no  scruples  in  destroying  a  considerable  part  of  it  to  erect  their 
famous  Coliseum  and  baths.  But  its  greatest  suffering  was  under  the 
Vandals  when  they  sacked  the  city,  and  Genseric  took  away  the  vessels 
of  bronze  which  Titus  had  brought  from  Jerusalem.  At  present  you 
see  vast  piles  of  brick  wonderfully  strong  in  their  masonry,  and  retaining 
a  few  of  their  stronger  ornaments.  But  wreck  and  ruin  meet  the  eye 
everywhere.  You  can  stand  on  one  of  the  terraces  and  look  upon  the 
same  magnificent  landscape  which  once  pleased  the  Caesars.  You  can 
see  where  lay  formerly  the  vast  gardens,  the  groves,  the  pools,  the  baths, 
the  outhouses  of  this  vast  villa;  but  the  noise  of  revelry  is  hushed, 
the  pomp  of  the  triumphal  march  has  given  place  to  the  calm  and  humble 
employments  of  agriculture,  the  hooded  monk  chants  where  sung  the 
flatterers  of  pagan  princes,  and  the  Italian  gardener  cuts  his  potherbs 
where  the  Roman  emperor  once  collected  the  splendor  of  his  vast  domin- 
ions. 

"  Trajan's  Column. 

"This  is  probably  the  most  beautiful  that  ever  existed.  And  it  yet 
stands  almost  as  perfect  as  it  was  seventeen  hundred  years  ago.  It  was 
erected  by  the  senate  to  Trajan  after  his  victory  over  the  Dacians.  It 
is  of  the  Doric  order,  composed  of  thirty-four  blocks  of  marble  united  by 


TRAVELS  IN  SOUTHERN  EUROPE.         131 

clamps  of  bronze.  From  its  pavement  to  its  top  is  one  hundred  and  thirty- 
two  feet.  The  statue  alone  is  eleven  feet.  Its  diameter  is  eleven  feet  two 
inches.  It  has  a  staircase  inside  composed  of  one  hundred  and  eighty- 
two  steps.  Its  pedestal  is  suj>erbly  ornamented  with  military  insignia; 
an  eagle  stands  on  each  corner.  But  its  chief  beauty  is  in  the  figures 
which  cover  its  entire  surface,  describing  the  battle,  and  victories  of  the 
emperor.  There  are  about  twenty-five  hundred  figures  of  men,  all  differ- 
ing, and  each  about  two  feet  high.  There  is  a  large  number  of  horses, 
arms,  machines  of  war,  ensigns,  and  tropbies.  A  spiral  cord  runs  round 
the  column  and  forms  a  ground  for  the  actors  in  each  successive  scene 
there  described.  This  column  itself  stood  in  the  open  place  of  Tra- 
jan's Forum,  which  contained  also  many  beautiful  buildings,  some  of 
whose  foundations  are  now  found  in  cellars  around  the  place  ;  and  the 
bases  and  steps  and  fragments  of  the  columns  of  a  public  library  are 
found  there.  Sixtus  V.  took  down  the  statue  of  Trajan  and  put  St. 
Peter  in  his  place.  And  if  ever  tbe  Fine  Arts  have  a  quarrel  with  the 
Church,  she  will  put  this  in  her  bill  of  wrongs.  It  is  ridiculous  to  see 
the  apostle  of  the  pacific  Christian  system  surmounting  this  huge  war- 
like monument." 

The  weeks  spent  in  the  Eternal  City  left  no  prominent 
object  of  interest  un visited.  Every  great  monument  of  art, 
every  temple  and  palace,  every  highway  exhibiting  "  the 
very  prints  of  the  triumphal  cars  of  the  Cassars,"  the  im- 
mense sewers,  the  forums,  and  aqueducts,  —  all  these  were 
to  him  monuments  of  once  living  men. 

"  Strange  as  it  may  seem,  Roman  mightiness  appears  even  in  so  hum- 
ble an  object  as  a  city  drain.  The  Cloaca  Maxima,  or  great  sewer,  stands 
as  perfect  as  it  was  on  the  day  of  its  completion.  It  is  made  of  mas- 
sive stones,  held  together  by  their  own  weight  and  the  accuracy  of  their 
formation,  without  the  aid  of  clamps  or  mortar.  It  is  said  to  be  large 
enough  for  a  wagon  loaded  with  hay  to  pass  through.  This  magnitude 
is  required  by  the  immense  quantities  of  water  thrown  into  tbe  city  by 
the  freshets  of  the  Tiber." 

From  lessons  like  these  nothing  is  more  natural  than  to 
consider  with  him  the  results  of  such  a  civilization  in  its 
present  most  important  phase  :  — 


132  LIFE   OF   EDWARD   NORRIS   KIRK. 


"  Religion. 

"  This  is  a  subject  on  which  I  am  less  prepared  to  speak  than  I  was 
on  entering  the  Roman  territories.  The  whole  system  of  the  Papacy  has 
presented  itself  to  me  in  new  lights,  which  are  not  yet  reduced  nor  har- 
monized. At  Rome  one  sees  some  of  the  best  and  some  of  the  worst 
features  of  the  system.  Among  its  best  traits  is  its  tolerant  character. 
Yes,  it  is  a  fact,  that  although  that  church  has  persecuted  the  saints 
of  God,  and  become  drunk  with  the  blood  of  martyrs,  yet  at  Rome  a 
Protestant  may  live  in  the  most  perfect  security,  enjoying  his  opinions 
and  worship.  Something,  however,  must  be  added.  This  the  Romans 
call  toleration;  and  so  it  is,  compared  with  the  events  and  spirit  of  St. 
Bartholomew's  Day.  But  compared  with  our  notions,  there  appear  in  it 
some  eminent  defects.  You  are  tolerated  so  long  as  no  Catholic  em- 
braces your  system,  or  attends  your  worship.  You  are  tolerated  if  you 
will  go  outside  of  the  walls  of  the  Holy  City,  and  bury  your  dead  away 
from  the  consecrated  spot.  You  are  tolerated  if  you  discuss  nothing, 
publish  nothing,  which  will  make  men  think  out  of  the  old  channel. 
Again,  there  is  less  glaring  immorality  at  Rome  than  in  the  Catholic 
cities  of  other  countries.  External  propriety,  decency,  modesty,  char- 
acterizes everything  at  Rome.  So  much  for  the  favorable.  But  the 
Papacy  is  the  enemy  of  the  dearest  temporal  interests  of  man.  The 
political  tendencies  are  all  fully  developed  at  the  great  metropolis,  be- 
cause there  the  political  power  is  absolute.  Nothing  prevents  the  Cath- 
olic Church  from  making  a  full  experiment  on  human  nature. 

"But  what  a  population  has  it  made  of  the  Romans  !  True,  it  is  not 
unfriendly  to  science  within  certain  limits;  and  therefore  Rome  contains 
men  of  eminent  learning.  True,  it  patronizes  the  fine  arts;  and  there- 
fore Rome  has  some  of  the  best  painters,  sculptors,  and  musicians  of  the 
world.  But  where  are  commerce,  national  enterprise,  eloquence,  indus- 
try, the  useful  arts,  and,  above  all,  the  intellectual  elevation  of  the  mass 
of  minds  ?  Noble,  manly  thinking,  and  the  higher  moral  attributes  of 
the  soul,  wither  under  such  an  influence.  I  have  less  dread  of  the  in- 
fluence of  statuary  and  painting  in  religion  than  formerly.  But  in  com- 
ing to  this  feeling  I  have  not  entered  into  the  operations  of  the  unedu- 
cated mind.  For  the  ceremonies,  and  the  demi-worship  of  saints  and 
the  Virgin,  I  cannot  say  so  much.  The  pictures  of  Rome  have  aided 
my  conceptions  of  events  and  persons  described  in  the  Bible. 

"  ROUTE    TO   NAPLES. 

"  The  old  Appian  Way  serves  for  a  part  of  this  road.  It  leads  the 
traveler  in  view  of  the  ancient  aqueducts,  tombs,  and  villas.  The  hills 
which  border  the  great  Campagna  Romana  afford  elegant  sites  for  coun- 
try residences.     And  to  this  purpose  the  tasteful  Romans  appropriated 


TRAVELS  IN  SOUTHERN  EUROPE.         133 

them.  Tivoli,  Albano,  Tusculum,  and  several  others  overlooked  the  vast 
plain  which  stretches  out  like  a  sea,  and  shows  the  great  city  in  the  back- 
ground. The  road  is  not  peculiarly  interesting  in  general.  A  part  of 
the  way  across  the  celebrated  Pontine  Marshes  is  under  a  beautiful  arcade 
of  trees,  through  which  we  passed  just  as  the  sun  was  setting,  and  en- 
joyed a  delightful  landscape.  The  tombs  of  the  Horatii  and  Curiatii  are 
pointed  out  on  the  way-side.  At  Albano  we  saw  a  museum  containing 
the  cinerary  urns  and  other  furniture  of  ancient  Etruscan  tombs,  which 
were  overwhelmed,  before  the  foundation  of  Rome,  by  a  volcano  whose 
fires  have  been  long  since  extinguished.  They  possess  a  great  interest 
from  their  antiquity,  from  the  fact  of  their  pertaining  to  that  wonderful 
people,  and  from  the  resemblance  of  those  urns  to  the  huts  of  the  Etrus- 
cans. Several  metallic  instruments  are  found  in  each  of  them.  A  sin- 
gular specimen  of  coarse  familiarity  with  sacred  things  shows  itself  in 
Anicia,  a  small  town  elegantly  situated  on  this  spur  of  the  Apennines. 
Most  of  the  houses  have  a  kind  of  charm  painted  on  them  in  some  promi- 
nent place,  —  '  Viva  la  sangre  di  Jesu  Christi.' 

"  The  spot  where  Cicero  was  murdered  is  marked  by  a  monument. 
The  pass  where  Hannibal  was  stoutly  resisted  by  the  allies  of  the  Ro- 
mans; the  town  which  resisted  him;  the  marsh  where  Marius  was  taken; 
the  Appii  Forum  where  Paul  stopped  on  his  way  to  Rome,  —  are  all  seen 
by  the  traveler.  It  is  true  that  the  antiquities  of  Rome  are  chiefly 
classical;  yet  there  are  some  few  associations  with  the  heroes  of  another 
spirit  than  that  of  the  warriors  or  emperors,  which  are  very  dear  to  the 
Christian.  One's  faith  is  too  much  taxed  at  Rome;  there  are  too  many 
good  things.  But  although  we  cannot  believe  that  they  have  the  heads 
of  the  two  chief  apostles,  nor  the  print  of  Peter's  foot  in  a  stone  wall, 
nor  the  very  fountain  which  they  say  sprang  up  miraculously  to  enable 
Paul  to  baptize  his  jailer,  yet  we  know  that  Paul  was  there,  that  he 
formed  a  church  there.  We  have  much  reason  to  believe  that  Peter  was 
there.  And  if  it  be  delightful  to  stand  where  Cassar  stood,  to  tread  the 
fields  of  Cannaa,  of  Thermopylae,  of  Thrasymenus;  if  Ave  love  to  j>ause 
and  hear  the  charming  eloquence  of  Cicero,  —  why  not  dwell  with  rapt- 
ures on  the  sacred  spot  where  mortal  man  contended  with  the  hosts  of 
hell  for  the  glory  of  God  and  the  salvation  of  our  race;  where  the  hero- 
ism of  martyrdom  displayed  the  noblest  and  most  rational  courage; 
where  the  voice  was  heard  which  made  kings  tremble  and  persuaded  the 
world  to  turn  from  dumb  idols  to  the  living  God  ? 

"  NAPLES. 

"  We  entered  the  city  of  Naples  at  night,  passed  along  its  main  street, 
the  Toledo,  but  saw  nothing  of  interest;  delighted,  however,  to  exchange 
the  rough  stones  of  Rome  for  its  broad,  smooth  pavements.  Naples  is 
an  ancient  Greek  city  which  has  survived  singular  changes,  and  bears  in 


134  LIFE   OF  EDWARD   NORMS   KIRK. 

its  language,  buildings,  and  manners  the  stamp  of  each.  Its  dialect  is 
Italian  affected  by  the  Greek,  Arab,  and  Spanish,  and  is  the  most  dis- 
agreeable form  of  the  Italian.  Strangers  speak  of  the  Italian  language 
as  one ;  but  a  Roman  cannot  understand  the  patois  of  an  uneducated 
Neapolitan.  Its  buildings  are  Romano- Graeco-Morisco- Spanish,  a  jumble, 
in  fact;  agreeing  in  nothing  but  their  flat  roofs  and  light  appearance. 

' '  We  may  speak  at  once  of  the  bay.  It  must  be  without  parallel.  It 
is  like  a  vast  lake  bordered  by  an  amphitheatre  which  rises  up  on  every 
side,  covered  with  villas,  convents,  gardens,  villages,  and  trees,  in  a  cir- 
cumference of  more  than  forty  miles.  From  every  point  of  view  it 
presents  peculiar  beauties.  Standing  on  the  elevation  of  the  castle  of 
St.  Elmo,  you  see  on  the  one  side  the  southern  boundary  of  the  bay; 
Cape  Minerva  or  Sorrento;  the  little  bay  and  village  of  Sorrento;  the 
city  of  Castellamare;  Vesuvius,  lifting  its  blasted  brow  to  invite  again 
the  bolt  of  heaven;  above,  all  scorched  and  desolate;  below,  all  life  and 
beauty,  covered  with  olives  and  the  villages  of  Torre  del  Annunziata, 
Torre  del  Greco,  and  Portici. ' 

"  At  last  comes  Naples  itself.  Turning,  you  see  the  island  of  Capri, 
defending  with  its  bold  front  this  quiet  sea  from  sympathizing  in  the 
troubles  of  the.  Mediterranean.  Procida  and  Ischia  are  beautiful  islands. 
The  Cape  Miseno  bounds  it  on  the  north.  This  whole  scene  taken  to- 
gether, whether  viewed  from  the  heights  of  the  city,  from  Mt.  Vesuvius, 
from  Caiwi,  or  Sorrento,  is  one  of  the  most  beautiful  in  the  world.  The 
city  is  nine  miles  in  circumference,  and  contains  as  many  inhabitants  as 
New  York,  being  the  third  city  of  Europe  in  numerical  rank.  The 
streets  are  broad  and  smooth,  being  entirely  flagged,  which  makes  the 
walking  quite  agreeable  to  one  who  has  just  left  Paris  or  Rome.  Its  chief 
beauty,  however,  is  in  its  Villa  Reale,  or  Royal  Garden,  built  by  Murat. 
This  is  beautifully  situated  on  the  side  of  the  bay.  Its  only  fault  is  in  its 
narrowness  ;  and  this  is  only  comparative  by  the  side  of  Hyde  Park,  the 
Pincian  Hill,  the  Villa  Borghese,  etc.  Strangers  visit  the  churches  and 
museum  free  of  any  other  expense  than  a  trifling  fee  to  the  door-keepers. 

' '  Museum. 

"  We  first  entered  the  chamber  of  the  recovered  cities,  Herculanoum 
and  Pompeii.  Here  are  frescoes,  mosaics,  and  statues  without  number. 
Their  arabesques  are  beautiful,  and  put  to  silence  all  claims  of  Raphael 
to  originality  in  that  department,  if  Titus's  Baths  had  not  done  it  before. 
The  correctness  and  spirit  of  some  of  the  drawings,  the  freshness  of  the 
colors,  the  expression  thrown  into  their  figures,  really  make  modern  art 
appear  much  less  wonderful.  Instead  of  hanging  pictures,  their  houses 
were  ornamented  with  these.  The  mosaics  are  not,  however,  to  be  com- 
pared to  those  of  modern  days.  The  library  contains  two  hundred  thou- 
sand volumes.     I  saw  the  MSS.  of  Tasso  and  of  Thomas  Aquinas,  and 


TRAVELS   IN   SOUTHERN  EUROPE.  135 

also  the  most  exquisite  little  work  of  taste,  probably,  in  the  world.  It  is 
a  Catholic  missal  '  illuminated,'  that  is,  ornamented  in  the  most  finished 
style.  The  paintings  and  arabesques  are  rich  and  delicate  beyond  all 
conception.  The  government  sets  a  value  upon  it  beyond  money.  Noth- 
ing can  buy  it.     It  is  called  The  Flora. 

"  Miracle  of  St.  Januarius. 

"  I  went  into  Italy  with  my  mind  divested  of  prejudice  against  the 
Catholic  Church;  that  is,  I  was  ready  to  believe  that  they  were  honestly 
in  error.  But  the  more  I  saw  with  my  own  eyes,  the  more  painfully  was 
I  brought  to  two  conclusions:  First,  that  the  sincere  may  get  to  heaven 
through  that  religion,  but  in  spite  of  some  of  its  influences,  and  with 
many  injuries  to  their  soul,  the  direct  fruit  of  part  of  the  system;  and  I 
do  rejoice,  on  the  other  hand,  to  give  my  testimony  to  the  generous  phi- 
lanthropy, pure  morality,  and  sincere  piety  which  I  have  found  in  Catho- 
lics. Some  of  them  I  reckon  among  my  very  dear  friends.  My  second 
conclusion  is,  that  there  are  in  that  church  a  very  large  number  of  intel- 
ligent, shrewd  hypocrites,  duping  their  fellow-creatures  with  mummeries 
which  increase  their  own  power.  God  is  my  judge  if  I  do  not  come  to 
this  conclusion  with  sorrow,  and  record  it  with  pain.  I  say  that  the 
levity  of  cardinals  in  their  religious  services,  the  ridiculous  mummery 
which  was  invented  in  an  age  of  darkness,  and  which  increases  priestly 
power  to  the  hindrance  of  vital  piety,  —  these  things,  crowned  by  the 
blasphemous  trickery  in  the  presence  of  the  nineteenth  century  in  the 
miracle  of  St.  Januarius,  must  disgust  a  pious  heart,  and  bring  the  can- 
did mind  to  the  conclusion  that  papacy  in  Italy  is  a  curse  to  the  human 
race.  I  speak  not  of  it  now  under  the  modifications  it  assumes  elsewhere. 
I  have  now  seen  it  for  myself  at  the  fountain-head.  I  have  heard  the 
scandalous  reports  at  Rome  freely  circulated,  and  widely  believed,  con- 
cerning the  personal  character  of  the  Pope  and  other  chief  dignitaries  of 
the  church.     But  I  pass  them  and  speak  of  what  I  saw  and  heard. 

"  St.  Januarius,  the  patron  saint  of  Naples,  was  beheaded.  His  blood 
was  preserved  in  a  phial.  And  ever  since,  on  the  anniversary  of  his 
martyrdom,  the  coagulated  blood  becomes  liquid  in  the  presence  of  ad- 
miring crowds,  and  at  the  moment  of  its  liquefaction  at  Naples,  the  stone 
on  which  he  was  beheaded,  at  some  distance  from  the  city,  sweats  blood. 
The  first  part  of  this  grand  piece  of  blasphemous  trumpery  I  saw.  Bishop 
England,  the  Catholic  primate  of  South  Carolina,  is  reported  to  have 
said  at  a  dinner-party  in  Philadelphia,  that  he  had  examined  everything 
connected  with  that  ceremony,  in  a  spirit  of  utter  incredulity ;  but  that 
when  he  saw  the  coagulated  blood  lifted  up  above  the  heads  of  the  people, 
and  out  of  the  reach  of  the  warmth  of  their  bodies,  and  then,  in  answer 
to  the  prayers  of  the  faithful,  the  solid  became  instantaneously  a  liquid, 
he  rushed  into  the  nave,  crying,  A  miracle!  a  miracle!     Now,  I  had  no 


186  LIFE   OF   EDWARD  NORMS   KIRK. 

opportunity  to  examine  the  substance  in  the  phial.  But  I  stood  among 
the  squalling  women  who  cried  at  the  top  of  their  cracked  voices:  '  O 
St.  Januarius,  have  mercy '  (and  a  more  perfect  resemblance  of  the 
priests  of  Baal  calling  on  their  idol  cannot  well  be  imagined),  and  I  saw 
the  solid  mass  in  a  phial  passing  from  hand  to  hand  and  from  lip  to  lip, 
and  constantly  in  the  midst  of  the  mass  of  animal  caloric  formed  by  such 
a  crowd,  as  well  as  the  heat  of  numberless  candles;  so  that  if  it  was  a 
frozen  mass  it  must  have  become  liquid,  or  if  it  was  a  chemical  compound, 
its  chemical  process  must  have  been  quickened  by  its  position.  Is  it  not 
disgraceful  to  human  nature  to  see  such  scandals  in  this  age  of  light, 
practiced  in  the  name  of  Christ?  A  good  stoi'y  is  told  of  the  French, 
when  they  found  the  power  of  the  priests  in  exciting  the  common  people 
against  them  was  so  great  by  means  of  this  blood.  The  success  of  their 
patron's  prayers  is  believed  to  be  testified  by  the  success  of  this  miracle. 
And  hence,  if  the  priests  wish  to  excite  a  popular  commotion  against 
any  administration,  they  have  only  to  keep  the  agonized  multitudes  in 
suspense  two  or  three  days  waiting  in  vain  for  the  favorable  sign  from 
heaven.  If  it  comes  not  they  can  point  the  silent  finger  at  the  obnox- 
ious power;  and  the  work  of  fanaticism  is  begun.  Thus  they  were  op- 
posing the  French  army,  when  Murat  planted  his  cannon  before  their 
church  door,  and  holding  his  sword  for  a  signal  in  one  hand,  and  his 
purse  in  the  other,  '  Now,'  said  he,  '  take  your  choice:  if  in  ten  minutes 
the  blood  liquefies,  you  have  the  purse;  if  not,  your  church  lies  in  frag- 
ments. Now  begin  your  prayers ! '  And  behold,  in  less  than  ten  min- 
utes, the  gracious  saint  liquefied  his  blood ! 

"  HERCULANEUM. 

"  More  disappointments  here.  There  is  something  so  narrow  and 
illiberal  in  the  Neapolitan  government,  that  one  can  scarcely  restrain  his 
indignation.  They  might  open  Herculaneum  to  the  light  of  day;  but  in- 
stead of  that,  they  take  the  rubbish  from  one  excavation  to  fill  up  an- 
other; and  therefore  all  you  see  is  the  interior  of  a  theatre  about  thirty 
feet  under  the  present  surface.  In  the  museum,  however,  are  exhibited 
food,  —  bread,  almonds,  eggs,  figs;  colors  prepared  for  printing;  net- 
work, as  it  was  in  the'  hands  of  a  lady ;  cooking-vessels  ;  the  purse  of 
Diomede's  wife,  from  Pompeii;  an  onyx  bearing  the  most  precious 
cameo  in  the  world;  an  asbestos  cloth  for  inclosing  the  dead  to  preserve 
their  ashes  when  burned. 

"  POMPEII. 

"  The  visit  here  is  gratifying  to  the  full,  and  has  no  one  emotion  of 
disappointment.  The  imagination  cannot  have  overstepped  the  bounds 
of  truth  in  this  case.  Here  you  are  in  the  midst  of  a  Roman  city,  nearly 
eighteen  hundred  years  from  the  fatal  day  when  it  was  buried  from  hu- 


TRAVELS   IN   SOUTHERN  EUROPE.  137 

man  sight  by  the  scoria?  from  Vesuvius;  and  here  you  see  everything 
just  as  its  dismayed  inhabitants  left  it.  Perhaps  the  most  interesting  parts 
of  the  city  remain  yet  to  be  excavated.  The  house  of  Diomede,  in  the 
suburbs,  shows  much  of  the  style  of  living  among  the  wealthy.  The  con- 
veniences and  luxuries  of  life  were  possessed  to  a  great  extent.  Each 
house  was  furnished  with  an  inner  court;  or,  in  fact,  each  house  forms  a 
hollow  square;  and  the  rich  had  fountains  either  in  the  middle  or  on  one 
of  the  sides.  Diomede's  wine-cellar  was  well  stored.  And  there  his  un- 
fortunate wife  was  found,  with  a  purse  in  her  hand,  attended  by  a  do- 
mestic. She  had  fled  there  for  safety,  and  was  overtaken  by  the  horrid 
flood.  The  impression  of  her  breast  was  made  upon  the  melted  sub- 
stance, and  can  now  be  distinctly  seen.  The  windows,  like  those  of 
eastern  houses,  opened  only  on  the  court.  Their  walls  are  all  painted, 
and  the  colors  exist  bright  to  this  day.  We  walked  along  the  ancient 
pavements  and  the  forum;  through  their  houses  (all,  of  course,  now  with 
neitber  roofs  nor  upper  floors),  their  theatres,  tbeir  temples,  their  baths, 
their  courts  of  justice,  their  military  barracks,  their  shops,  bake-houses, 
etc.  The  scribbling  of  the  soldiers  on  the  walls  is  as  plain  as  if  written 
yesterday.  The  fountain  is  still  flowing  in  the  temjne  of  Isis,  which  it 
supplied  with  water.  Immense  treasures  of  sculpture  have  already  been 
taken  from  this  mine;  probably  much  more  remains.  Too  many  things 
remain  to  prove  that  their  morality  was  faithfully  described  in  the  first 
chapter  of  Paul's  Epistle  to  the  Romans. 

"  On  the  way  to  Pomjjeii  we  passed  through  the  towns  of  Resina, 
Portici,  and  Torre  del  Greco,  which  have  been  boldly  built  on  the  very 
lava  that  once  overwhelmed  other  cities.  Part  of  the  road  is  over  a 
black,  dead  mass  of  lava.  The  fences  and  houses  are  built  of  nothing 
else;  and  in  some  parts  the  dust  is  almost  insupportable.  The  royal 
chateau  at  Portici  is  rather  a  pretty  place.     It  has  a  very  fine  view. 

"  VESUVIUS. 

"  Our  ascent  was  by  night,  because  there  was  then  so  little  fire  that 
we  should  not  have  seen  it  by  daylight;  we  lost,  however,  the  splendid 
view  of  the  bay.  We  rode  two  hours  on  horseback,  stopping  at  the 
Hermitage,  the  last  human  habitation,  tenanted  by  a  monk,  and  delight- 
fully situated.  Our  horses  were  left  where  the  road  became  impassable 
for  them.  It  was  then,  for  thirty-five  minutes,  rough  mounting.  Some- 
times the  masses  of  lava  were  so  thickly  clustered  that  one  must  step  on 
them ;  at  other  times  the  ashes  would  slide  from  under  us.  Some  of  our 
company  were  obliged  to  strap  themselves  fast  to  their  guides  and  thus 
be  helped  to  ascend.  I  accomplished  it  in  five  minutes  less  than  the  or- 
dinary time,  because  I  found  that,  like  other  evils,  the  sooner  it  was  over 
the  better.     My  boots  were  cut  to  pieces. 

"  We  descended  into  the  first  crater  by  the  light  of  our  torches,  after 


138  LIFE   OF  EDWARD  NORMS   KIRK. 

taking  some  refreshments.  And  a  horrible  place  it  was.  The  world  was 
wrapt  in  darkness.  We  were  unable  to  distinguish  a  chasm  five  feet  be- 
fore us.  And  thus  we  marched,  with  faith  in  our  guide,  over  the  very 
mouth  of  what  had  been  four  years  ago  a  raging  hell  of  sulphurous 
waves.  When  we  came  to  the  grand  crater  we  discovered  fire,  and 
made  an  almost  fatal  discovery  of  gas.  It  poured  around  me  in  one 
place  so  pungently  and  densely  that  respiration  was  almost  suspended. 
I  was  alarmed,  for  I  knew  not  where  to  fly.  A  step  to  the  right  or  to 
the  left  might  plunge  me  into  a  lake  of  fire.  I  happened,  however,  to 
recollect  having  heard  that  a  silk  handkerchief  placed  over  the  face  would 
enable  one  to  breathe  harmlessly  an  atmosphere  filled  with  a  noxious  gas. 
The  expedient  was  completely  successful.  In  one  place,  I  threw  down 
lumps  of  lava  into  a  little  oven,  and  saw  the  dark  smoke  roll  up,  and  heard 
the  splash  as  it  struck  the  melted  mass  below.  In  another  place,  we 
were  scarcely  able  to  stand,  from  the  intense  heat  of  the  pavement  be- 
neath us.  There  we  could  put  our  canes  into  the  crevices  which  were  full 
of  fire,  and  ignite  them  instantly.  A  great  many  awful  possibilities  were 
easily  imagined  in  such  a  place. 

"  After  leaving  the  summit,  we  took  a  new  route  where  there  was  noth- 
ing but  land,  or  rather  ashes.  I  ran  down,  almost  without  stopping,  what 
appeared  to  me  to  be  the  distance  of  two  miles,  and,  turning  back  to  view 
my  companions,  enjoyed  the  most  singular  sight.  They  were  coming 
down  the  black  side  of  the  mountain,  one  by  one,  each  with  his  guide 
holding  a  torch.  A  gendarme  followed  us  all  the  way  to  protect  us 
from  the  imposition  of  the  guides,  and  from  the  smugglers  who  some- 
times hide  themselves  there.  The  guides  formerly  have  taken  persons 
up,  and  then,  having  them  in  their  power,  refused  to  bring  them  down 
but  at  an  exorbitant  price.  Now  everything  is  arranged  by  tariff.  We 
met  palanquins  prepared  to  carry  up  several  ladies.  This  is  rather  ex- 
pensive work,  as  it  requires  eight  men  to  one  lady;  four  carrying  her, 
and  four  reposing,  or  rather  being  relieved.  We  reached  Resina  at  one 
o'clock,  and  returned  immediately  to  Naples  —  sufficiently  fatigued,  as  in 
that  same  day  we  had  visited  Herculaneum,  Pompeii,  Portici,  and  Mt. 
Vesuvius. 

"  PjESTUM. 

"  This  was  the  climax  of  all  that  we  had  seen  in  the  way  of  antiquity. 
Here  are  the  ruins  of  a  Greek  city  founded  long  before  Rome,  and  con- 
taining three  magnificent  buildings,  which  can  boast  not  only  of  an  an- 
tiquity superior  to  anything  Roman,  but  being  also  a  link  in  the  chain, 
and  landmarks  of  the  progress  of  architecture,  as  it  was  emerging  from 
the  stiffness  of  the  Egyptian  and  attaining  to  the  grace  of  the  Grecian. 
Some  of  the  walls  of  the  city  exist  yet;  the  foundation  of  a  theatre,  which 
itself  was  built  on  the  ruins  of  a  temple  (there  is  antiquity  for   you!) 


TRAVELS  IN   SOUTHERN  EUROPE.  139 

seven  hundred  years  before  Christ.  How  old  is  that  foundation  -which 
was  a  ruin  two  thousand  five  hundred  years  ago  ?  But  the  glory  of  the 
plain  of  Passtum  is  in  its  three  splendid,  stately  ruins,  — the  Temple  of 
Ceres,  the  Temple  of  Neptune,  and  the  Basilicum.  The  most  beautiful 
is  the  Temple  of  Neptune.  Its  order,  as  is  that  of  the  others,  is  Doric. 
The  material  is  a  petrifaction.  The  whole  style  is  massive  and  solemn. 
The  blocks  are  immense. 

"BAY   OP    SALERNO. 

"  Our  next  excursion  was  around  the  Bay  of  Salerno,  which  is  the 
next  south  of  the  Bay  of  Naples.  Many  classic  spots  are  in  the  vicinity. 
We  landed  at  Amalfi,  once  celebrated  for  its  medical  school,  and  passed 
the  Sirens'  islands.  We  crossed  the  promontory  on  foot  and  came  again 
to  the  Bay  of  Naples  at 

"  SORRENTO. 

"  This  is  the  most  charming  spot  I  have  yet  seen  on  this  earth.  If  I 
described  an  earthly  paradise,  much  of  the  material  should  be  found 
there.  The  house  of  Tasso  is  yet  shown.  The  village  is  on  the  high 
bluff  shore.  And  there,  under  a  perfect  climate,  spreads  around  you 
a  verdure  as  soft  as  velvet;  a  mass  of  verdure  stretching  for  miles,  and 
interspersed  with  the  picturesque  spires  and  convents  and  dwellings  of 
southern  Italy.  Beneath  you  lies  that  masterpiece  of  Nature,  —  the  bay 
par  excellence.  On  the  right  is  Castellamare  and  the  plain  of  Pompeii. 
In  front  is  Vesuvius,  presenting  a  slope  which  is  seen  from  no  other 
point,  and  which  is  a  line  of  the  most  graceful  curve,  and  an  angle  as 
agreeable  to  the  eye  as  that  of  a  Grecian  pediment.  By  the  side  of  it  is 
Naples,  the  third  city  of  Europe,  and  the  most  elegant  viewed  at  a  dis- 
tance. Farther  to  the  west  are  the  classic  Baioe  and  the  lovely  isles  of 
Ischia  and  Procida.  The  whole  is  shut  in  from  the  sea  by  the  noble 
walls  of  Capri,  which  look  like  a  finishing  stroke  of  Nature  to  fence  in 
this  perfect  panorama  from  the  rude  visitations  of  the  sea.  The  fra- 
grance of  the  orange  blossoms,  and  the  myriads  of  olive-trees  that  greet 
the  sense  and  the  sight,  are  like  the  last  touches  in  this  enchanting  pict- 
ure.    Sorrento  is  the  only  place  in  Italy  where  I  wanted  to  stay. 


"This  island  was  the  great  resort  of  the  emperor  Tiberius;  as  can  be 
believed  from  the  fact  that  he  had  twelve  villas  upon  it.  And  it  must  be 
understood  that  an  emperor's  villa  was  no  ordinary  affair.  We  con- 
tented ourselves  with  visiting  one  of  them.  The  view  from  it  is  one  of 
the  finest  in  the  Mediterranean.  The  mosaic  floors  bespeak  its  former 
grandeur.     But  the  most  interesting  object  on  this  island  is 


140  LITE    OF  EDWARD   NORMS   KIRK. 


"  The  Blue  Grotto, 
which  appears  to  have  been  unknown  to  the  ancients,  and  was  to  the 
moderns,  until  within  a  few  years,  when  two  Englishmen  discovered  it. 
I  say,  unknown  to  the  ancients;  but  really  mean,  unmentioned  in  their 
writings  left  to  us.  It  could  not  have  been  unknown  to  them;  for  al- 
though it  is  on  the  level  of  the  sea,  more  than  one  thousand  feet  be- 
low the  surface  of  a  solid  mass  of  rock,  there  is  in  it  the  termination  of 
a  staircase,  leading  no  one  knows  where.  The  mouth  of  the  cave  is  so 
low  that  in  the  least  agitation  of  the  sea  you  cannot  enter;  and  in  order 
to  enter,  you  must  lie  flat  in  the  boat.  A  party  was  once  shut  in  there 
by  the  waves  rising  after  they  entered;  and  they  came  near  starvation. 
On  entering  the  cave,  I  had  an  awful  sensation.  If  there  be  such  a 
thing  as  a  lake  of  liquid  sulphur  on  fire,  it  must  appear  somewhat  like 
that.  The  water  is  perfectly  blue,  and  casts  its  rays  up  on  the  sides 
and  roof  of  a  cavern  twenty  feet  high  and  forty  feet  broad.  The  oars 
dipping  into  the  water  become  indigo;  the  hand  put  in  is  blue;  the 
countenance  of  your  friend  is  cadaverous.  Looking  down,  I  know  not 
how  far,  you  see  the  bottom  of  this  sea-nymphs'  chamber;  and  every  fish, 
large  or  small,  that  makes  his  way  there,  is  subjected  to  your  close  in- 
spection. There  you  see  them  in  all  the  wildness  of  nature  and  in  the 
freedom  of  their  gambols.  In  one  spot  no  bottom  can  be  seen,  while 
the  water  is  as  clear  as  the  atmosphere.  This  singular  effect  is  entirely 
the  result  of  simple  circumstances.  The  mouth  of  the  cavern  above  the 
water  is  so  small  as  to  admit  of  almost  no  light,  while  below  the  water 
it  is  very  large.  Hence,  all  the  rays  of  light  are  admitted  through  the 
water,  where,  being  subject  to  a  certain  degree  of  refraction,  this  singular 
effect  is  produced.  The  probability  is,  that  the  whole  cavern  was  out  of 
water  before  the  year  70  of  our  era.  When  Pompeii  was  destroyed, 
the  sea  encroached  on  the  land  between  ten  and  twenty  feet ;  or  the 
land  sunk  in  the  sea,  all  around  that  side  of  the  bay. 

"ROUTE    TO    FLORENCE. 

"  We  left  Naples  to  seek  the  cooler  climate  of  Northern  Italy,  as  the 
month  of  May  was  now  advancing.  Remained  in  Rome  long  enough  to 
review  at  leisure  the  objects  of  chief  interest,  making  an  entire  residence 
there  of  two  months.  Had  the  pleasure  of  meeting  Dr.  and  Mrs.  R.,  of 
London,  with  their  niece,  whom  we  accompanied  to  Florence.  In  going 
north,  you  rise  very  quickly  to  hills  which  give  a  fine  view  of  Rome,  and 
from  which  we  took  a  farewell  look.  The  hills  are  monotonous  and  with- 
out population,  without  cultivation.  Gave  myself  up  to  musing  on  the 
advantages  of  traveling,  and  on  the  great  objects  of  living  in  this  world. 
The  most  of  the  first  day  was  spent  in  a  tame  country ;  but  toward  even- 
ing we  came  to  some  charming  scenery;  we  could  see,  too,  the  sites  of 


TRAVELS   IN   SOUTHERN  EUROPE.  141 

the  cities  and  foot-prints  of  the  ancient  tribes  who  could  have  resisted 
anything  but  Rome.  We  took  Terni  in  our  route,  on  account  of  its  cele- 
brated cascade.  The  entire  fall  is  thirteen  hundred  feet ;  but  so  broken 
into  sections,  and  with  so  small  a  body,  that  it  cannot  be  considered  any- 
thing more  than  beautiful.  Yet  beautiful  it  is,  and  ornamented  by  the 
most  perfect  bow  of  colors  I  ever  saw ;  it  came  the  nearest  to  a  circle 
of  any.  The  moonlight  views  on  our  route  were  enchanting  as  we  passed 
from  the  mountain-top  to  the  deep  valley,  and  saw  the  .march  of  stars  in 
that  blue  space  which  covers  Italy. 

"  The  valley  of  the  Arno  is  another  of  those  objects  which  disappoint. 
The  Arno  is  a  poor  little  stream  in  summer.  But  it  does,  indeed,  flow 
through  a  charming  country.  The  whole  is  a  garden,  and  much  of  it  a 
flower-garden,  justly  entitling  the  city  to  its  name  from  Flora.  I  omit- 
ted, however,  to  speak  of  the  lake  where  Hannibal  in  one  terrible  day 
slaughtered  thirty  thousand  Romans.  We  passed  over  the  spot  where 
this  sanguinary  fight  took  place,  and  where  the  people  still  recall  its 
history.  The  skill  and  courage  of  the  Carthaginian  became  strikingly 
manifest,  as  did  the  rashness  of  the  Roman  consul.  May  Thrasymenus 
never  see  another  such  day  ! 

"  FLORENCE. 

"  The  Cathedral.  —  This  was  commenced  in  1290,  and  its  great  dome 
erected  in  1445.  It  exhibits  a  bold  specimen  of  the  taste  which  existed 
just  as  the  fine  arts  were  about  to  dawn  upon  Italy.  It  is  a  great  piece 
of  patchwork,  four  hundred  and  twenty  feet  long,  entirely  covered  with 
marble  in  alternate  stripes  of  white  and  black.  Michael  Angelo  is  said 
to  have  admired  the  dome  greatly,  and  to  have  considered  it  one  of  the 
most  wonderful  productions  of  man.  It  is  not  completely  spherical,  like 
St.  Peter's;  yet  its  outline  is  very  graceful.  The  lantern  is  made  of 
solid  marble.  Over  one  of  the  doors  outside  is  a  very  beautiful  piece  of 
mosaic.  It  is  a  horridly  gloomy  temple  inside,  and  finds  its  chief  inter- 
est, aside  from  religion,  in  possessing  the  tombs  of  Michael  Angelo, 
Brunelleschi,  Giotto,  Farnese,  Dante,  and  the  seat  on  which  Dante 
often  sat.  The  Campanile,  or  bell-tower,  which  in  great  cathedrals 
is  always  separate  from  the  church-edifice,  was  built  in  1334;  it  is 
two  hundred  and  eighty  feet  high,  but  has  to  my  eye  no  beauty.  It  hap 
some  good  statues  by  Donatello,  the  reviver  of  statuary.  The  Baptistery, 
as  at  Pisa,  is  a  separate  building,  anciently  a  temple  of  Mars,  octagonal 
in  form.  Its  bronze  doors,  made  by  Ghiberti,  are  very  famous  and  very 
wonderful.  Michael  Angelo  is  said  to  have  studied  them  with  rapture, 
and  to  have  remarked  that  they  were  worthy  to  be  the  gates  of  Paradise. 
Some  warlike  trophies  are  hung  on  the  outside,  perhaps  in  a  heathenish 
spirit,  perhaps  in  a  grateful  Christian  feeling. 

"  Churches.  —  Many  of  these  are  very  interesting  in  their  way.     That 


142  LIFE  OF  EDWARD  NORMS  KIRK. 

of  Lorenzo  is  connected  with  the  great  library,  in  which  I  saw  the  Pan- 
dects of  Justinian,  written  in  the  sixth  century;  a  copy  of  Virgil  of  the 
thirteenth  century;  one  of  Horace,  written  by  Petrarch  and  annotated 
by  Dante,  with  poi'traits  of  Laura  and  Petrarch  in  it:  Boccaccio's  own 
manuscripts  of  his  '  Decamerone;  '  Alfieri's  autograph  of  his  plays, 
with  his  criticisms  on  them.  The  chapel  of  the  Medicis  is  unfinished, 
magnificent,  and  ugly.  The  richest  marbles  line  it;  the  figures  of  Day 
and  Night,  of  Time  and  Eternity,  are  wonderful  embodiments  of  thought 
and  sentiment. 

"Palaces.  — The  old  palace  contains  some  of  the  most  splendid  paint- 
ings and  statues  existing.  The  Venus  de  Medicis,  Niobe  and  her  Chil- 
dren, the  Knife-grinder,  the  Boxers,  the  Venus  of  Titian,  the  John  the 
Baptist  of  Raphael,  are  above  all  praise.  It  is  a  sad  fact  that  Titian's 
pencil  addresses  man's  worst  passions!  The  bronzes  here  are  admirable. 
It  is  astonishing  to  what  a  height  of  perfection  the  ancients  carried  the 
casting  of  bronze  figures.  But  John  of  Bologna  has  rivaled  them  in  his 
Mercury,  which,  though  in  fact  a  great  mass  of  black  metal,  weighing 
more  than  three  hundred  pounds,  seems  to  be  on  the  point  of  flying,  and 
supported  more  by  the  ethereal  spirit  within  than  by  its  feet. 

"  The  Pitti  Palace  (an  odd  name,  taken  from  its  foolish  founder,  who, 
though  a  simple  citizen,  erected  this  princely  pile,  and  exhausted  all  his 
property)  is  now  the  residence  of  the  grand  duke's  family.  Its  paint- 
ings are  among  the  first.  Beauty  reigns  in  its  long  suites  of  apartments. 
One  lives  intellectually  in  a  new  world  as  he  absorbs  himself  in  these 
representations  of  the  imagination.  Byron  has  affected  to  be  head  and 
shoulders  above  the  rest  of  mankind  by  not  admiring  painting.  What 
is  painting  but  poetry  ?  I  speak  not  now  of  the  imitative  Flemish  school. 
That  is  for  children.  But  I  refer  to  the  Last  Supper  of  Leonardo,  to 
the  School  of  Athens  by  Raphael,  and  to  the  Prophets  of  the  Sistine 
Chapel.  Here  is  the  expression  to  the  eye  of  the  profoundest  concep- 
tions of  the  intellect  and  the  sublimest  emotions  of  the  soul :  I  say  of  the 
picture-gallery,  as  Milton's  Eve  of  Eden,  '  Must  I  leave  thee,  Para- 
dise ! ' 

"  The  House  and  Study  of  Michael  Angelo.  —  These  have  been  preserved 
with  great  care.  His  house,  his  painting-tools,  some  of  the  furniture  of 
his  chapel,  the  very  oil  that  he  left  in  his  phials,  the  various  sketches 
that  he  made  of  several  great  works,  etc. 

"  ROUTE     TO    VENICE. 

"  We  went  en  voiturin  ;  that  is,  engaged  with  a  coachman  for  a  defi- 
nite price,  he  to  furnish  meals  and  lodging,  and  to  pay  every  necessary 
expense  on  the  route.  It  is  a  very  convenient  arrangement  for  a  party 
who  have  not  their  own  conveyance;  liable,  however,  to  the  objection  of 
very  slow  movement,  though  having  the  advantage  of  allowing  you  to 


TRAVELS  IN  SOUTHERN  EUROPE.         143 

stop  -where  you  please,  to  examine  objects  of  interest,  and  saving  you 
from  all  controversy  with  the  dishonest  hotel-keepers.  On  the  27th  of 
June  we  slept  in  the  bosom  of  the  Apennines;  on  the  29th  we  reached 
Bologna,  where  we  spent  Saturday  and  the  Sabbath.  Several  of  their 
private  galleries  of  paintings  are  very  good.  The  public  library  is  ex- 
cellent. The  Reading  Society,  or  Casino,  is  fitting  up  a  really  splendid 
establishment,  which  is  to  be  ready  to  open  the  next  Carnival  with  a 
ball.  Bologna  is  a  city  of  colonnades.  Most  of  the  streets  have  their 
entire  sidewalks  under  arcades,  so  that  the  upper  parts  of  all  the  houses 
are  flush  with  the  carriage  road.  There  is  one  colonnade  three  miles  in 
length,  leading  from  the  city  to  St.  Luke's  Church.  Nobles  and  priests 
have  been  ambitious  for  the  honor  of  adding  to  this  remarkable  structure. 
But  the  chief  object  of  interest  there  is  the  Campo  Santo,  or  cemetery. 
It  is  the  finest  in  the  world.  Pere  la  Chaise  has  greater  dust  within  its 
walls;  Campo  Santo,  at  Pisa,  has  the  soil  of  Calvary;  Mount  Auburn 
has  great  beauty  :  but  the  first  is  excessively  confused  and  crowded;  the 
second  is  rather  a  museum  than  a  cemetery;  the  third  has  no  monumental 
nor  architectural  riches.  But  this  resting-place  of  the  dead  is  in  a  style 
of  extraordinary  taste.  The  arcades  that  divide  it  into  several  sections 
are  sweetly  simple  and  chaste.  The  ancient  tombs,  some  of  them  more 
than  twelve  hundred  years  old,  give  it  a  peculiar  impression  of  solem- 
nity; the  statues  on  the  front  gates,  and  those  on  the  tombs,  are  in  the 
most  perfect  harmony  with  one  another  and  with  the  place.  There  is 
not  a  figure  in  the  whole  place  which  does  not  sympathize  with  either 
the  noblest  or  the  tenderest  feelings  which  are  connected  with  death. 

"  Canova  told  the  young  artist  who  composed  the  group  of  one  tomb, 
that  that  was  sufficient  to  immortalize  his  name.  It  is  the  tomb  of  a 
father  and  mother.  It  represents  a  pyramidal  monument  with  its  large 
door  half  open.  The  mother's  urn  is  there  (for  she  died  first),  and  the 
vacant  niche  opposite  to  that  which  contains  hers  seems  to  be  waiting 
for  the  father's.  The  children  are  carrying  this  to  deposit  it  by  the  side 
of  the  mother's;  and,  as  they  march  in  solemn  procession,  they  pass  by 
the  figure  of  Time,  and  regard  with  an  expression  of  hope  that  of  Eter- 
nity. 

"  One  of  the  long  corridors  is  terminated  by  a  little  alcove  in  which 
is  some  princely  tomb.  It  is  so  contrived  that  the  light  of  day,  shining 
in,  resembles  precisely  the  light  of  a  lamp,  and  seems  to  proceed  from  a 
taper  suspended  over  the  sarcophagus. 

"  VENICE. 

"  We  approached  Venice  by  boats  at  the  opening  of  day.  There  is 
nothing  striking  in  coming  into  the  city,  from  any  quarter.  It  necessa- 
rily lies  flat,  being  constructed  on  the  lagoons  or  marshy  flats  of  the  Adri- 
atic.    You  appear  to  be  sailing  along  an  ordinary  canal  into  an  ordinary 


144  LIFE   OF  EDWARD  NORMS   KIRK. 

city.  The  wonder  grows  upon  you  as  you  traverse  it  in  every  direction, 
and  find  nine  tenths  of  its  streets  are  canals,  and  the  houses  rise  ab- 
ruptly out  of  the  sea.  When  you  have  been  thus  all  through  it,  and  then 
go  out  toward  the  Mediterranean  and  return,  the  view  is  enchanting. 
'  She  looks  a  sea  Cybele,  rising  with  her  domes  and  palaces  as  by  magic 
from  the  waves.'     A  stranger  naturally  asks  several  questions. 

"  Why  did  they  build  Venice  in  such  a  situation?  It  at  first  consisted 
entirely  of  wooden  houses  erected  on  piles  driven  into  the  mud  by  the 
natives  of  the  neighboring  mountains,  who  were  unwilling  to  submit  to 
their  barbarian  conquerors.  Their  sacrifices  at  first  must  have  been  im- 
mense. In  time,  its  admirable  situation  for  commerce,  together  with  the 
hardy  and  adventurous  character  of  its  population,  drew  to  it  the  com- 
merce of  all  the  south  section  of  the  middle  of  the  continent.  The  cru- 
sades enriched  it  greatly,  as  it  furnished  the  transport  vessels  for  the 
hordes  of  fanatics,  their  goods,  and  the  various  provisions  sent  to  them 
when  in  Palestine. 

"What  destroyed  Venice?  The  discovery  of  the  passage  round  the 
Cape  of  Good  Hope,  by  diverting  commerce  from  her  marts;  the  changes 
wrought  in  the  political  sentiments  and  condition  of  mankind;  the  cor- 
ruption produced  by  her  immense  power  and  wealth. 

"  How  is  the  city  protected  from  the  violence  of  the  seas?  By  the 
great  number  of  flats  between  it  and  the  gulf;  but  chiefly  by  an  immense 
stone  dike,  erected  in  the  last  century,  fifteen  miles  below  the  city. 

"  Are  there  no  inconveniences  attending  its  situation?  So  we  should 
consider  them.  I  dislike  the  bilge-water  odor  that  accosts  you  at  low 
tide.  I  became  lazy  and  depressed  there  for  the  want  of  bodily  exercise. 
And  to  us  it  seems  strange  to  be  compelled  in  the  evenings  to  postpone 
a  visit  to  a  neighbor  because  the  street  between  you  and  him  is  four  feet 
deep  in  water,  and  you  have  no  boat  at  hand.  But  the  people,  accus- 
tomed to  it  from  .their  infancy,  are  of  course  attached  to  that  mode  of 
living. 

"  Doges'  Palace. 

"  This  possesses  a  melancholy  interest.  A  proud  race  of  republican 
kings  once  sat  with  their  senate  there,  humble  imitators  of  fallen  Rome. 
But  now  it  is  only  a  picture-gallery.  The  archbishop  has  his  apartments 
in  it.  The  old  red  cedar  seats  of  the  senate  remain.  The  portraits  of 
all  the  doges  are  there,  except  that  of  Marino  Falieri.  A  curtain  hangs 
where  his  likeness  should  be.  Every  evening,  at  candle-lighting,  three 
lamps  are  kindled  in  the  dome  of  St.  Mark's  as  a  signal  to  the  faithful  to 
pray  for  his  unhappy  soul.  At  the  stroke  of  the  bell  they  all  go  out  in- 
stantly,    I  wonder  Byron  has  not  woven  this  poetic  custom  into  his  lines. 


TRAVELS   IN  SOUTHERN  EUROPE.  145 

"  St.  Mark's  Place  and  Cathedral. 
"  This  place  is  all  it  has  been  said  to  he.  When  the  Austrian  band  is 
playing  at  sunset,  and  all  the  gayety  of  the  city  is  there  collected,  sitting 
or  promenading,  it  is  indeed  a  beautiful  and  animating  sight.  The  place 
is  altogether  unique  and  ancient,  except  the  lower  part  of  the  Piazza  (or 
Place),  which  Napoleon  built  somewhat  like  the  Palais  Royal  at  Paris. 
It  is  an  oblong  space,  paved,  and  surrounded  on  three  sides  by  porticoes, 
under  which  are  shops  and  coffee-houses.  Above  them  are  apartments. 
On  the  fourth  side  is  St.  Mark's,  with  its  gilded  horses,  taken  from  Con- 
stantinople. They  are  splendid  animals,  but  badly  situated.  Their  his- 
tory has  been  remarkable.  It  is  supposed  that  they  were  cast  in  the  be- 
ginning of  the  era  of  Grecian  taste,  at  Rhodes,  for  a  temple  of  the  Sun. 
After  serving  that  idolatrous  purpose,  they  were  carried  to  Constanti- 
nople by  the  Christians,  and  made  to  ornament  a  church.  Then  the 
Turks  brought  them  into  the  Mohammedan  service.  Then  the  Vene- 
tians brought  them  back  to  aid  Christianity  in  their  capital.  Napoleon 
in  turn  laid  his  hands  upon  them,  and  consecrated  them  to  the  glory  of 
the  French  military  spirit,  by  placing  them  on  the  triumphal  arch  op- 
posite the  Tuileries  in  Paris.  When  Austria  became  mistress  of  Venice, 
and  the  hero  of  Austerlitz  was  meditating  in  St.  Helena,  they  were  re- 
taken to  Venice,  perhaps  to  see  the  last  palace  of  that  proud  city  crumble 
to  the  dust.  Poor  Venice!  one's  heart  grows  sick  as  his  gondola  floats 
silently  by  moonlight  along  the  Grand  Canal,  under  the  Rialto,  and 
among  her  once  magnificent  palaces.  They  are  crumbling  to  pieces. 
Venice  is  another  tomb  of  greatness.  The  Jews  bought  up  seventy  pal- 
aces in  one  year,  and  were  demolishing  them.  The  government  had  to 
interfere. 

"Austria  is  trying  to  raise  Trieste  at  the  expense  of  Venice.  The , 
despots  of  Europe  seem  to  dread  the  very  place  where  free  men  have 
lived.  Napoleon  was  a  Roman  throughout.  He  adopted  the  Roman 
policy  entirely  of  restoring  captured  cities  to  their  former  greatness.  He 
never  wounded  national  pride,  by  destroying  monuments  (except  in  his 
strong  desire  to  make  Paris  another  Rome;  there  he  was  true  again  to 
his  Roman  instincts).  He  gave  Venice  the  only  two  gardens  it  has,  as 
Marat  did  to  Naples.     And  they  are  beautiful,  but  —  deserted ! 

"  St.  Mark's  Cathedral  is  a  singular  specimen  of  the  gaudy,  puerile 
taste  of  the  Middle  Ages.  It  is  finished  with  mosaic.  But  such  pictures 
as  the  most  of  them  are !  The  twelves  apostles  are  growing  on  a  tree, 
like  apples.  St.  Mark,  however,  is  a  splendid  figure,  and  seems  to  belong 
to  the  modern  era  of  painting. 
10 


146  LIFE   OF   EDWARD   NORMS   KIRK. 


"  The  Arsenal. 
"  You  see  there  what  the  Republic  was  ;  and  you  see  what  Venice  is. 
The  dockyard  is  immense;  but  only  a  small  part  answers  the  present 
purposes  of  Austria.  The  mast  of  the  grand  barge  in  wbich  the  proud 
Doges  went  annually  to  wed  their  city  to  the  Adriatic  is  preserved. 
These  are  models  of  the  old  ships.  And  these  are  the  only  ornamented 
gondolas;  all  others  in  the  city  are  entirely  black. 

"  Canova's  Tomb. 

"This  great  artist  constructed  a  tomb  for  Titian  ;  but  posterity  has 
given  it  to  himself.  It  is  a  pyramid.  The  door  on  the  side  is  half  open; 
and  the  Arts  are  walking  in  with  downcast  countenances.  It  is  very 
fine;  but  not  as  elegant  nor  as  eloquent  as  that  in  the  palace  of  the  sena- 
tors at  Rome.  Several  of  Canova's  works  are  at  Venice.  His  Hector 
and  Ajax  belong  to  a  Duke  Somebody.     They  are  great. 

"  LIDO. 

"  We  went  down  to  the  islands  toward  the  sea,  and  stopped  at  sev- 
eral villages,  and  even  cities.  Lido  has  the  only  carriage-drive  around 
Venice.  There  Byron  rode.  Some  traveler  remarked  that  there  were 
but  eight  horses  in  Venice  ;  four  of  them  belonged  to  Byron  and  four  to 
St.  Mark.     A  city  without  horses,  —  is  it  not  strange  ? 

"  I  saw  a  great  festival  on  the  day  of  our  Lord,  as  they  called  it.  It 
ought  to  occur  in  the  paschal  week;  but  as  it  is  a  joyous  festival  they 
postpone  it.  The  first  night  was  celebrated  by  a  hundred  gondolas  float- 
ing with  lanterns  of  every  color  and  form,  music  and  feasting  on  board. 
The  next  day,  the  great  canal  and  the  part  of  the  bay  next  to  it  were 
covered  by  bridges  of  boats  more  than  three  quarters  of  a  mile  long,  to 
•enable  the  people  to  pass  freely  to  a  church  where  the  services  are  per- 
formed. Our  protracted  meetings  in  America  would  not  frighten  the 
Catholics  of  Europe.  They  go  far  ahead  of  us  in  the  number  of  days 
they  devote  to  religious  purposes  according  to  their  notions. 

"  MILAN. 

"  The  entrance  to  this  city  is  very  pleasant,  as  all  its  main  streets  are 
large,  and  it  is  entirely  surrounded  by  an  ornamental  boulevard.  The 
first  object  that  attracted  us  was 

"  The  Cathedral. 

"  It  certainly  had  one  uncommon  architectural  beauty.  Its  marble  is 
white  and  glossy.  Its  thousand  flowered  needles,  its  ethereal  Gothic  air, 
its  endless  grace  of  details,  its  five  thousand  statues,  make  it  a  wonder- 
ful building.      A  rigid  observation  detects  a  great  defect  in  its  front, 


TRAVELS  IN  SOUTHERN  EUROPE.         147 

■where  a  mixture  of  styles  destroys  all  harmony  of  effect.  The  inside  is 
beautiful ;  the  roof  the  most  elegant  of  all.  I  saw  there  the  elegance  of 
the  barbarous  style  more  impressively  than  ever  before.  You  mount  the 
lofty  tower  to  look  over  the  vast  plain  of  Lombardy.  Venice  is  almost 
in  sight.  Padua,  Marengo,  Lodi,  and  all  the  theatres  of  Napoleon's 
ambitious  wars  on  unoffending  men,  meet  your  eye,  just  as  he  saw  them 
when  he  turned  the  summit  of  St.  Bernard. 

"  The  interior  of  the  church  was  all  in  confusion  with  the  preparation 
for  the  coronation  of  the  emperor. 

"  La  Scala. 

"  We  were  permitted  to  visit  the  great  theatre  in  the  morning,  as  it 
was  now  unemployed,  and  examine  it  and  the  preparations  which  were 
turning  it  into  an  immense  reception  room  for  the  emperor.  The  stage 
alone  is  one  hundred  and  thirty-two  by  sixty-six  feet. 

"  ROUTE    TO    GENEVA. 

"  We  went  directly  north  from  Milan  in  order  to  visit  the  lovely  Lake 
of  Como.  Beautiful  objects  met  our  gaze  in  all  this  route.  Como  was 
the  city  of  Pliny.  We  passed  up  to  the  point  where  the  lake  divides 
into  two  branches. 

"  From  this  lake  we  crossed  to  the  Lago  Maggiore,  where  we  saw,  at 
Arona,  the  native  village  of  Charles  Borromeo,  his  statue  in  bronze. 
The  monument,  one  hundred  and  twenty  feet  high,  was  erected  by  a 
grateful  people  in  memory  of  his  virtues.  Isola  Bella  must  have  appeared 
once  like  fairy-work,  being  a  barren  rock  in  the  midst  of  the  lake,  now 
changed  into  festivity  and  beauty,  terrace  rising  above  terrace ;  statues, 
trees,  and  flowers  crowning  the  whole.  It  is  now  on  one  side  a  garden 
of  terraces  rising  in  a  pyramid ;  which  makes  it  stiff,  though  pretty.  We 
at  length  reached  the  military  road  which  Napoleon  constructed  across 
the  Simplon.  It  is  an  immense  work.  This  passage  of  the  Alps  is  suf- 
ficiently wild,  going  through  a  region  of  perfect  desolation;  cascades, 
ravines,  snow-storms,  and  masses  of  rock  immensely  large.  Napoleon 
commenced  on  the  summit  a  hospice  and  put  in  it  some  of  the  St.  Ber- 
nard fraternity.  We  crossed  the  Alps  in  safety,  descended  the  valley  of 
the  Rhone,  and,  pressing  on,  came  to  the  Pass  of  Great  Saint  Bernard. 
It  took  a  day  to  reach  that  desolate  spot,  where  none  dwell  but  the 
kind  monks  who  assiduously  care  for  the  necessitous  traveler  who  passes 
through  those  dreary  regions  of  the  earth.  The  ascent  was  very  tedi- 
ous; most  of  the  year  it  is  nearly  impracticable.  You  see  nothing  there 
which  rewards  you  for  your  trouble,  unless  it  be  where  three  great  war- 
riors reposed  their  weary  troops  after  the  bold  achievement  of  ascending 
that  rugged  mountain.  The  hospice  is  quite  interesting;  a  benevolent 
Benedictine  founded  it  six  hundred  years  ago.     The  society  has  prop- 


148  LIFE   OF  EDWAKD   NORMS   KIRK. 

erty;  they  perpetuate  their  numbers  by  election.     The  stories  about  their 
dogs  are  poetically  interesting  and  exaggerated. 

"  Chamouni.  —  In  passing  to  this  interesting  valley,  I  was  disappointed 
at  the  first  view  of  Mont  Blanc,  because  of  its  deceptive  height  when 
compared  with  that  of  the  intervening  mountains,  which,  being  so  much 
nearer,  appear  equally  high.  Went  up  to  the  Mer  de  Glace,  a  sea  of  ice 
fifty-one  miles  long,  formed  by  snow  packed  by  its  own  weight.  It  is 
full  of  deep  chasms,  in  which  you  hear  the  water  falling  and  roaring  like 
the  sound  made  by  the  water-wheel  of  a  mill.  I  have  a  budget  full  of 
things  to  say  concerning  the  garden  in  the  midst  of  this  vast  frozen  lake; 
of  the  movement  of  the  ice  backward  and  forward  annually ;  of  the  re- 
jection of  stones,  earth,  and  all  impurities  from  its  bosom;  of  the  precious 
stones  found  here;  of  the  chamois;  of  the  glories  of  Mont  Blanc  ;  of  the 
ascents  made  to  its  summits;  of  the  avalanches;  of  the  vale  of  Chamouni, 
settled  nine  hundred  years  ago ;  of  the  Needles ;  of  Geneva,  —  of  its 
lake;  of  Chillon's  prison;  of  the  splendid  sunset  which  cast  its  rosy 
tints  on  Mont  Blanc  to  reflect  them  from  Leman's  peaceful  bosom;  of 
the  Genevese  who  have  never  bowed  to  a  despot ;  of  that  spot  where  the 
human  intellect  burst  half  its  shackles;  where  Luther's  friends  carried 
out  what  Descartes  had  begun,  and  what  America  afterward  applied  to 
her  political  relations ;  of  Leman,  on  whose  borders  have  been  the  dwell- 
ings of  three  arch  infidels  and  of  the  founder  of  the  straitest  sect  of 
evangelists.  I  have  many  things  to  say  of  the  dear  friends  of  Christian- 
ity in  Geneva;  of  the  infant  schools  in  Italy;  of  the  religious  degeneracy 
of  Calvin's  city;  and  of  the  route  to  Paris;  yet  will  make  no  further 
record." 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

REVIVAL   AND    OTHER    LABORS. 

1839-1841. 

Mr.  Kirk  returned  to  this  country  in  September,  1839. 
Great  as  bad  been  his  influence  before  his  departure,  he  re- 
turned to  be  yet  more  widely  known  in  his  labors  for  Christ. 

"  He  foreign  countries  knew,  but  they  were  known 
Not  for  themselves,  but  to  advance  his  own." 

Upon  the  voyage  back,  his  thoughts  often  reverted  to 
family,  church,  friends,  and  the  various  means  employed, 
both  in  religion  and  in  the  cause  of  moral  reform,  throughout 
his  native  land.  "  These  topics  beguiled  me  of  many  a 
weary  hour ;  and  the  impulse  was  felt,  with  new  vigor,  by 
which  this  journey  was  undertaken.  I  want,  and  by  God's 
blessing  I  determine,  to  be  a  blessing  to  that  country."  He 
was  about  to  enter  upon  the  peculiar  labors  which  gave  so 
great  an  impulse  to  the  energies  of  the  churches. 

Among  the  most  interesting  recollections  of  his  life-long 
experience  in  revivals,  is  that  embracing  this  period  immedi- 
ately succeeding  his  first  return  from  Europe.  He  had  gone 
therewith  several  objects  in  view;  one  was  to  remodel  his 
professional  labors.  Facility  of  utterance,  he  informs  us,  had 
become  a  great  snare.  In  his  pastoral  life  he  had  become 
possessor  of  only  about  two  hundred  written  sermons. 

This  was  the  result  of  incessant  labors  in  other  directions. 
A  large  portion  of  his  time,  as  already  observed,  had  been 
occupied  in  traveling  from  one  town  to  another,  lecturing  on 
temperance,  slavery,  education,  and  kindred  subjects,  besides 


150  LITE   OF  EDWARD   NORMS   KIRK. 

spending  days  and  weeks  in  assisting  his  brethren  in  the 
work  of  revivals. 

The  consequences  were,  that  his  pulpit  exercises  at  home, 
whatever  they  may  have  been  in  substance,  were  constantly 
and  increasingly  falling  below  his  own  standard.  He  deter- 
mined to  get  out  of  that  current.  He  also  felt  that  for  one 
who  had  undertaken  to  aim,  with  others,  at  the  world's  con- 
version, it  was  fitting  that  he  should  know  more  about  the 
world.  His  had  been  a  comparatively  cloistered  life ;  or,  at 
least,  somewhat  apart  from  the  great  world  of  thought  and 
action.  He  confessed  a  consciousness  of  great  crudeness  in 
attempting  to  deal  with  the  profound  questions  that  are 
connected  with  the  progress  of  civilization.  It  was  for  this 
purpose  he  determined  to  study  tbe  language  and  views  and 
customs  of  some  country  entirely  unlike  our  own.  He  chose 
Germany,  and  left  America  with  the  definite  intention  of 
selecting  one  of  the  great  centres  of  thought  in  that  country 
for  a  residence  of  many  months. 

Taking  Paris  on  his  way,  he  was  induced  to  change  his 
plan  by  discovering  that  there  were  concentrated  the  most 
favorable  opportunities  for  studying  both  men  and  letters. 
He  was  charmed  at  discovering  that  the  whole  course  of  lect- 
ures on  history,  language,  art,  science,  literature,  and  phi- 
losophy, was  entirely  gratuitous.  The  working-hours  of 
the  day  could  be  spent  there  in  hearing  the  ablest  men  of 
France  discourse  on  all  these  subjects.  And  not  a  small  ad- 
ditional recommendation,  in  his  case,  was  the  fact  that  the 
instruction  was  all  gratuitous,  and  therefore  suited  to  his 
res  angusta  domi.  He  asserts,  "  However  I  may  have  failed 
in  the  main  object  of  more  than  two  years'  residence  and 
travel  in  Europe,  there  certainly  resulted  a  great  impulse 
to  the  intellectual  faculties."  He  returned  in  September, 
1839,  and  commenced  his  labors  as  secretary  of  the  Foreign 
Evangelical  Society  (since  become  the  American  and  For- 
eign Christian  Union).  On  reaching  Baltimore,  he  found 
the  religious  community  deeply  moved.  The  Rev.  Mr. 
Knapp  had  been  laboring  with  great  success  in  one  of  the 


REVIVAL  AND   OTHER  LABORS.  151 

Baptist  churches.     The  Rev.  Mr.  Haraner,  of  a  Presbyterian 

church,  invited  Mr.  Kirk  to  meet  his  people  and  address 
them  on  the  subject  of  revivals.  Their  first  assembling 
encouraged  him  to  continue.  The  divine  blessing  followed 
these  efforts  very  largely. 

Under  the  sacred  impulse  there  received,  he  went  to  Phila- 
delphia, witnessed  the  blessed  work  of  the  Spirit  of  God  in 
several  of  the  Presbyterian  churches,  and  in  the  Congrega- 
tional church  under  the  care  of  Rev.  Dr.  Todd.  Proceed- 
ing next  to  New  York,  he  attended  a  meeting  in  the  chapel 
of  the  Mercer  Street  Church  (Dr.  Skinner's).  Few  were 
present.  The  doctor  invited  him  to  the  desk  and  insisted  on 
his  preaching.  The  text  that  then  most  fully  expressed  the 
feelings  produced  by  the  scenes  through  which  he  had  but 
just  passed  was  that  in  Ephesians,  —  '  Be  ye  filled  with  the 
Spirit.'  The  blessed  Spirit  did  descend  and  condescend  there 
to  fill  every  heart  with  a  desire  to  see  the  glory  of  God  and 
the  salvation  of  lost  souls.  At  the  close  of  the  meeting,  the 
elders  came  together  and  invited  Dr.  Kirk  to  begin  imme- 
diately a  course  of  labors  for  the  conversion  of  souls.  Glori- 
ous were  the  days  that  followed. 

Among  the  results  most  interesting  were  the  conversions 
of  five  young  men,  then  members  of  Columbia  College,  all 
of  whom  have  since  faithfully  and  successfully  served  our 
Lord  as  ministers  of  his  gospel.  Two  of  them  were  the  sons 
of  ministers,  but  astray  from  the  faith  in  which  their  fathers 
were  walking.  One  of  them  was  the  son  of  Dr.  Skinner. 
Early  in  the  course  of  the  meeting,  the  father's  heart  was 
filled  with  joy  to  see  that  son  sitting  clothed  and  in  his  right 
mind  at  his  Saviour's  feet. 

In  connection  with  this  conversion,  there  was  one  incident 
of  peculiar  interest,  from  the  following  circumstances.  Dr. 
Kirk's  own  language  thus  depicts  it :  — 

"  In  the  State  of  New  Jersey  was  a  Mr.  Scudder,  who  had  given  him- 
self to  the  missionary  service.  In  order  to  prepare  himself  more  fully  for 
his  work,  he  went  to  New  York  to  pursue  a  course  of  medical  study. 
He  boarded  in  a  family  named  Waterbury,  not  a  member  of  which,  I  be- 


152  LIFE   OF  EDWARD  NORMS   KIRK. 

lieve,  had  confessed  Christ.  In  that  circle  began  his  missionary  labors. 
Two  of  the  souls  there  given  him  as  the  seals  of  his  ministry  were  Har- 
riet and  Jared,  children  of  the  household.  Harriet  became  his  wife,  and 
has  been  a  co-worker  with  him  in  his  valuable  missionary  labors.  Jared 
became  a  student  of  Yale  College,  preparing  for  the  ministry.  I  was 
then  a  student  at  law  in  the  city  of  New  York.  The  blessed  Spirit  of 
God  was  then  most  mercifully  striving  to  convince  me  of  sin,  righteous- 
ness, and  judgment.  Jared  came  down  to  the  city  from  amid  scenes  of 
revival  in  Yale  College.  He  assembled  several  young  men  in  a  private 
house  to  address  them  on  the  subject  of  religion.  A  friend  took  me  to 
the  meeting.  I  had  heard  of  Christ  from  the  cradle  to  that  hour;  but  in 
that  hour  the  eye  of  faith  was  opened  to  behold  Him.  Thus  was  Mr. 
Waterbury  the  human  instrument  of  leading  me  from  death  to  life. 

"  I  now  return  to  the  case  of  young  Skinner  and  his  friend,  Henry  M. 
Scudder,  to  that  time  a  companion  with  him  in  unbelief.  The  parents 
in  India  were  pleading  with  their  covenant-keeping  God  in  the  anguish  of 
■  their  souls,  that  he  might  be  plucked  as  a  brand  from  the  burning. 
Thomas  Skinner  could  not  rest,  after  finding  Christ  himself,  till,  like 
Andrew,  he  could  find  his  brother  and  say,  '  I  have  found  the  Christ.' 
He  encaged  Scudder  to  attend  our  meeting  that  night,  and  that  night 
Scudder,  too,  came  to  Jesus. 

"  Here  was  the  wondrous  chain  of  events  in  the  hand  of  our  Saviour. 
Dr.  Scudder  led  Waterbury  to  Christ.  Waterbury  led  me;  and  now 
God  made  me  the  instrument  of  answering  their  anxious  prayers  and 
leading  their  beloved  son  out  of  the  path  of  death  to  Jesus  the  fountain 
of  life." 

"  Those  meetings,"  said  Professor  Fowler,  "  are  an  expo- 
nent of  a  noteworthy  religious  movement  in  America,  —  the 
revival  movement.  They  are  the  first,  fairest  representatives 
of  revival  meetings.  They  constitute  a  marked  feature  of  the 
American  church.  The  leading  idea  of  those  who  sustained 
them  was,  to  arouse  attention  to  religious  concerns  by  special 
religious  meetings,  and  then,  by  their  daily  repetition,  hold 
the  attention  till  it  became  rooted  in  religious  conviction  and 
bore  the  fruit  of  an  abiding  Christian  character.  They  were 
sometimes  continued  for  weeks;  and  one,  two,  three,  and 
even  four  meetings  were  held  each  day.  Some  were  prayer- 
meetings  ;  some  were  allotted  to  lay  exhortation  ;  some  to 
personal  conversation  ;  some  to  preaching.  They  were  held 
at  all  hours  ;  the  rising  sun  looked  in  upon  a  company  of 
suppliants  ;  the  man  of  business  laid  down  his  employment 


REVIVAL  AND   OTHER  LABORS.  153 

and  went  to  the  sanctuary  ;  and  at  evening,  especially,  men 
and  women  gathered,  the  old  and  the  young,  either  to  hear 
or  to  exhort,  or  to  pray  or  to  scoff.  For  the  time,  all  other 
gatherings  were  set  aside.  The  social  party  and  the  literary 
lecture  were  made  secondary.  Even  useful  and  necessary 
avocations  were  more  or  less  neglected.  Eternal  verities  as- 
serted a  controlling  sway  over  the  mind." 

The  scenes  of  Mr.  Kirk's  most  prominent  labors  at  this 
period  were  New  York,  Philadelphia,  New  Haven,  Hartford, 
and  Boston.  In  every  place  he  has  left  a  remembrance  of 
that  polished  manner,  thoroughly  controlled  by  profound 
spiritual  experience.  His  voice  was  as  the  music  of  the  sum- 
mer or  as  that  of  the  autumn.  He  knew  how  to  sow  the 
seed,  and  how  to  reap  the  harvest.  Many  of  his  sermons,  so 
vivid  was  their  imagery,  so  close  their  logical  analysis,  and  so 
deej)  their  spiritual  insight,  were  never  outworn.  Among 
them  were  "  The  Bridgeless  Gulf,"  "  Naaman,"  "  Neglect  of 
Salvation,"  the  "  Prodigal  Son,"  and  "  Prepare  to  meet  thy 
God." 

We  draw  from  the  loving  memories  of  two  workers  hon- 
ored among  the  churches  of  to-day,  their  personal  recollec- 
tions of  those  impressive  scenes.  The  ReV.  Edward  Strong, 
D.  D.,  of  West  Roxbury,  thus  writes  :  — 

"  I  well  remember,  when  a  student  in  the  Union  Theologi- 
cal Seminary  of  New  York,  the  coming  of  the  late  Dr.  Kirk 
to  engage  in  revivalistic  labors.  It  was  in  the  winter  of 
1839-1840.  Dr.  Thomas  H.  Skinner,  of  honored  memory, 
was  then  pastor  of  the  Mercer  Street  Church,  and  to  the 
pulpit  of  that  church  the  preaching  of  young  Kirk  was  chiefly 
confined.  I  say  young,  for  he  was  still  a  young  man  at  the 
close  of  his  brilliant  pastorate  of  ten  years  in  Albany.  Dr. 
Skinner  had  himself  been  a  great  worker,  and  greatly  enthu- 
siastic to  promote  seasons  of  religious  awakening.  Naturally, 
therefore,  he  sought  and  welcomed  the  ardent  and  magnetic 
Kirk  to  his  pulpit,  for  a  series  of  preaching  services  to 
awaken  his  church  and  save  souls. 

"  I  think  I  must  have  heard  the  first  sermon  of  this  zealous 


154  LIEE   OF  EDAVAKD  NORRIS   KIRK. 

Melancthon  in  that  Mercer  Street  pulpit.  Dr.  Skinner's  con- 
gregation was  then  one  of  the  largest,  wealthiest,  and  most 
intelligent  congregations  to  be  found  in  the  city.  He  was 
himself  in  the  pulpit,  and  took  a  pastor's  part  in  the  services. 
At  that  time  he  was  in  the  strength  of  his  years,  and  showed 
a  profound  interest  in  that  revivalistic  effort.  The  intro- 
ductory services  being  over,  I  remember  the  impression  on 
my  mind  as  Mr.  Kirk  rose  and  announced  his  text.  His 
appearance  was  eminently  pleasing ;  his  fine  open  face,  his 
bright  eye,  his  whole  expression,  —  serious,  earnest,  and 
lighted  up  with  a  sort  of  inspiration,  —  his  clear  and  strong 
voice,  of  quality  so  rich,  and  articulation  so  distinct  as  to  be 
heard  easily  in  every  part  of  the  sanctuary ;  his  earnest,  and, 
as  he  went  on,  impassioned  manner,  all  combined  to  hold 
the  fixed  attention  of  the  audience  to  the  end.  He  seemed 
to  have  come  there  in  the  fullness  of  the  blessing  of  the  gos- 
pel of  Christ,  and  flushed  with  the  enthusiasm  of  his  success 
at  Albany.  If  there  had  been  with  some  a  vague  fear  of 
'new  measures'  in  Christian  work,  and  a  prejudice  against 
evangelists,  nothing  of  this  kind  stood  in  Mr.  Kirk's  way. 
He  was  rather  a  tried  and  honored  pastor,  going  to  a  new 
field  and  new  conquests  for  Christ.  He  seemed  to  me  a  man 
of  rare  ability  and  rare  spirit,  a  sort  of  Spurgeon,  without 
anything  brusque  or  blunt  in  him  ;  another  R.  S.  Storrs,  with 
more  of  the  direct  and  pungent  in  his  preaching ;  another 
Chrysostom,  or  a  Melancthon,  or  Summerfield,  with  added 
power. 

"  What  his  texts  and  topics  were  in  those  Mercer  Street 
meetings,  I  cannot  say  ;  but  I  can  never  forget  the  man,  nor 
lose  the  impression  of  his  thrilling  appeals.  If  Moody,  with 
no  pretense  of  scholarly  attainments,  has  stood  before  vast 
audiences  and  held  them  spell-bound,  himself  manifestly  en- 
dued with  power  from  on  high,  —  held  them  by  the  clear 
sincerity  and  tremendous  earnestness  he  ever  exhibits  to  save 
souls, — so  in  Mr.  Kirk  was  manifest,  then  and  ever  after- 
ward, the  resistless  fascination  and  power  of  such  a  spirit. 
His  manner  was  graceful,  even  polished ;  his  language  sim- 


REVIVAL  AND   OTHER  LABORS.  155 

pie  and  clear,  sometimes  (though  not  often)  bordering  on 
the  colloquial,  yet  never  descending  to  vulgarity  nor  violat- 
ing good  taste. 

"  His  coming  to  New  York  was  to  us  students  a  benedic- 
tion. It  was  second  to  nothing  as  a  help  to  our  theological 
training,  for  it  inspired  us,  while  it  showed  where,  under 
God,  the  preacher's  great  strength  is  found.  To  this  day 
ring  in  my  ears  not  a  few  of  his  impassioned  words,  and  live 
in  my  heart  the  impressions  they  made.  Nothing  could  be 
more  serious  and  forceful  than  some  of  his  appeals.  Turn- 
ing on  one  occasion  to  the  unsaved,  he  said,  '  You  feel,  each 
of  you  "  I  ought  to  become  a  Christian."  You  know  you 
ought ! '  And  this  was  a  specimen  of  his  directness.  It  was 
impossible  to  get  away  from  it.  I  remember  at  another 
time,  when  he  was  speaking  of  the  sure  exposure  and  punish- 
ment of  sin,  he  said,  '  Suppose  a  murder  has  just  been  com- 
mitted in  the  city.  The  question  is  immediately  asked,  ^Yllo 
did  it  ?  Everybody  is  asking ;  everybody  is  looking  for  the 
guilty  one.  So,  in  the  moral  government  of  God,  the  sinner 
cannot  escape.'  He  made  us  feel  that  men  are  lost  sinners, 
and  can  by  no  possibility  escape  otherwise  than  through  the 
Lord  Jesus  Christ. 

"  The  next  year,  in  February,  1841,  Mr.  Kirk  was  invited 
to  labor  in  a  similar  series  of  meetings  in  New  Haven,  Conn., 
where  not  a  little  religious  interest  was  already  manifest 
both  in  the  city  and  in  the  college.  As  I  had  been  invited 
to  pursue  my  theological  studies  in  connection  with  a  tutor- 
ship at  Yale,  and  had  gone  there,  I  enjoyed  the  high  privi- 
lege of  hearing  him  there  also.  Some  of  the  themes  on 
which  he  spoke  in  New  Haven  I  am  able  to  give,  and  to  indi- 
cate his  method  of  treating  them.  This  may  illustrate  some- 
what his  traits  as  a  preacher  at  that  period.  His  first  ser- 
mon, if  I  remember,  was  on  a  part  of  the  nineteenth  Psalm, 

— '  The  law  of  the  Lord  is  perfect,'  etc '  Men's  want 

of  interest  in  the  Bible,'  said  he,  '  is  not  the  fault  of  the 
Bible,  but  their  own.  As  Pierpont  said  of  himself,  in  read- 
ing Milton,  that,  in  order  to  the  fullest   appreciation   and 


156  LIFE  OF  EDWARD  NORRIS  KIRK. 

highest  effect,  lie  needed  to  be  Miltonized,  so  in  reading  the 
Bible.  At  first,  as  in  looking  at  Niagara,  we  have  or  may 
have  a  feeling  of  disappointment ;  but  we  need  to  dwell  upon 
the  sacred  word,  and  let  it  grow  on  oar  appreciation.' 

"  His  fidelity,  and  great  plainness  of  speech,  came  out 
more  in  his  next  sermon,  on  '  Without  God  in  the  world.' 
Having  explained  that  some  of  the  relations  we  sustain  are 
dependent  on  our  own  will,  and  others  not,  he  took  up  a 
strain  of  solemn,  earnest,  direct  appeal.  '  You,'  said  he,  '  who 
are  impenitent,  have  banished  your  God,  slighted  Him  as 
your  Redeemer,  and  are  without  Him  in  heart  and  life. 
You  have  no  God  in  your  families,  none  at  church,  none  at 
the  bed  of  death,  none  in  eternity.'  His  conscientious  fidel- 
ity, and  his  determination,  like  Paul,  to  do  and  endure,  that 
by  all  means  he  might  save  some,  appear  in  the  very  choice 
of  his  subjects.  '  He  that  believeth  not  shall  be  damned,' 
brought  from  him  a  bold,  pungent  sermon,  in  which  he  said, 
'  The  sinner  without  faith  in  Christ  can  no  more  reach  heaven 
than  a  new  and  splendid  ship,  with  a  hole  in  its  bottom,  can 
cross  the  sea.  A  link  is  gone  in  the  chain  that  should  bind 
him  to  the  throne  of  God.'  His  next  discourse  was  emi- 
nently plain  and  solemn,  on  '  The  Impassable  Gulf,'  contrast- 
ing the  condition  of  the  rich  and  the  poor  here,  in  heaven, 
and  in  hell.  He  made  it  to  be  felt  that  Death  sends  his 
victims  opposite  ways. 

"  Very  tender  and  touching  were  some  of  his  appeals  to 
Christians.  He  spoke,  for  instance,  early  in  that  series  of 
meetings  on  '  The  signs  of  a  backsliding  church.'  The  ser- 
mon, while  eminently  direct  and  plain,  was  yet  tender.  '  You 
have  left  your  Saviour,  left  your  Bible,'  he  told  them  ;  '  your 
repentance  did  not  go  to  the  root  of  the  matter.  You  have 
not  strengthened  your  pastor's  hands.  Brother  !  sister ! '  he 
at  length  exclaimed,  with  resistless  tenderness,  and  ringing 
voice,  '  come  back,  I  entreat  you,  come  back  ! '  —  '  Strive  to 
enter  into  the  strait  gate,'  was  another  of  his  texts.  In  the 
course  of  his  sermon  on  it,  he  said,  '  Here  are  twelve  hun- 
dred souls  :  shall  I  meet  them  all  in  glory  ?     Let  each  ask, 


REVIVAL  AND   OTHER  LABORS.  157 

"  Shall  I  be  there  ?  "  Proceeding  then  to  divide  the  assem- 
bly into  the  three  classes  of  those  who  agonize  and  enter  in, 
those  who  only  commence,  and  those  wbo  never  seek,  he  said, 
'  It  is  the  will  that  prevents  you  from  entering  in,  —  the 
same  will  that  made  you  say,  "  I  can't,"  "  I  wont,"  when  a 
child.' 

"  It  is  needless  to  multiply  illustrations  of  his  direct,  ear- 
nest, tender,  impressive,  effective  preaching  before  he  came 
to  Boston.  Many  in  New  Haven  were  added  to  the  Lord, 
including  not  less  than  seventy-five  students  in  the  college. 
These  were  not,  however,  all  of  them  the  fruit  of  Mr.  Kirk's 
labors  ;  nor  did  he  come  to  New  Haven  till  the  work  in  the 
college  had  made  considerable  progress." 

The  Rev.  Increase  N.  Tarbox,  D.  D.,  of  Boston,  thus  writes 
of  his  labors  in  another  city  :  — 

"  If  my  memory  does  not  mislead  me,  it  was  near  the  close 
of  the  year  1840,  or  in  the  opening  weeks  of  1841,  that  I 
first  heard  the  voice  and  saw  the  face  of  Dr.  Kirk.  It  may 
possibly  have  been  a  year  earlier,  for  I  have  not  such  records 
as  would  fix  the  time  exactly.  Notices  of  his  labors  as  an 
evangelist  had  prepared  me  to  be  favorably  impressed  with 
the  man  and  with  his  preaching.  The  religious  newspapers, 
week  after  week,  were  giving  accounts  of  his  labors  and  of 
the  blessings  which  attended  them  ;  and  when  the  opportu- 
nity came  that  I  could  see  and  hear  him  for  myself,  I  em- 
braced it  with  gladness. 

"  It  was  a  clear,  cold  winter  night.  I  was  teaching  school 
in  East  Hartford,  Conn.,  and  Mr.  Kirk  was  to  preach  in  the 
old  Centre  Church  at  Hartford,  where  Dr.  Joel  Hawes  had 
then  been  the  minister  for  more  than  twenty  years,  and 
where  he  was  to  remain  for  more  than  a  quarter  of  a  century 
longer.  A  brisk  walk  of  two  miles  through  the  frosty  air 
brought  me  to  the  meeting-house,  where  the  choir  was  nearly 
through  with  the  opening  hymn  when  I  entered.  I  found 
the  large  audience-room  filled  to  its  utmost  capacity.  As  I 
went  through  the  porch  and  opened  the  swinging  door  lead- 
ing into  the  central  aisle,  my  progress  was  barred  by  a  solid 


158  LIFE   OF  EDWARD   NORMS   KIRK. 

mass  of  humanity,  which  had  first  filled  the  pews  and  then 
the  aisles  and  passageways,  even  to  every  nook  and  corner. 
All  I  could  do  was  simply  to  edge  myself  in  and  take  a 
standing-place  close  by  the  wall  under  the  gallery.  As  the 
choir  finished  the  hymn,  Mr.  Kirk  arose  in  the  pulpit  to  read 
a  chapter  from  the  Bible.  His  selection  was  the  second 
chapter  of  the  book  of  Lamentations.  There  was  such  a 
sonorous  fullness  to  his  voice,  such  a  distinct  articulation, 
such  a  musical  intonation,  that  the  reading  was  invested  with 
a  charm  new  and  peculiar.  From  that  day  until  this,  I  have 
never  read  or  heard  that  passage  of  Scripture  without  think- 
ing how  those  words  came  to  me  as  I  stood  wedged  against 
the  wall  in  that  Centre  Meeting-house  of  Hartford,  as  remote 
from  the  pulpit  as  I  well  could  be,  and  with  many  hindrances 
in  front  to  the  transmission  of  sound.  But  every  word  and 
syllable  fell  on  the  ear  with  a  ringing  clearness :  — '  Hoiv 
hath  the  Lord  ,  covered  the  daughter  of  Zion  ivith  a  cloud  in 
his  anger,  and  cast  doivnfrom  heaven  unto  the  earth  the  beauty 
of  Israel,  and  remembered  not  his  footstool  in  the  day  of  his 
anger ! '  So  marvelous  to  me  was  that  articulation,  that 
every  word  seemed  to  come  in  its  absolute  perfection,  as  some 
material  thing,  like  a  new  piece  of  coin  fresh  from  the  mint, 
taken  up  and  tossed  out  on  the  air. 

"  Then  followed  the  prayer,  free,  fervent,  tender,  beauti- 
ful, in  sympathy  with  all  sin-tossed  and  troubled  souls,  bear- 
ing them  in  their  wants  and  weaknesses,  in  their  fears  and 
temptations,  to  the  throne  of  the  heavenly  grace.  There 
was  nothing  rough,  loud,  repellent,  such  as  all  of  us  have 
sometimes  heard  in  prayers  offered  on  similar  occasions.  It 
was  winning,  sympathetic,  Christlike. 

"  Mr.  Kirk  was  at  that  time  in  the  very  bloom  and  vigor 
of  early  manhood,  with  all  the  graces  of  pulpit  oratory,  and 
with  every  power  at  command.  But  that  which  gave  him 
such  sway  over  his  audiences  was,  that  he  seemed  to  lose 
sight  of  himself  ;  he  forgot  that  he  was  an  easy  and  finished 
speaker  and  a  man  of  attractive  presence.  He  was  so  bent 
upon  bringing  the  simple  gospel  of  Christ,  the  story  of  the 


REVIVAL  AND  OTHER  LABORS.  159 

cross,  to  bear  on  human  souls  for  their  regeneration  and 
sanctification,  that  all  else  seemed  to  be  hidden  from  his 
thought  and  consciousness. 

"  I  do  not  recall  the  exact  text  or  the  specific  and  central 
idea  of  that  night's  discourse.  But  the  general  impression 
made  by  it  remains  as  fresh  almost  as  though  the  scene  oc- 
curred but  yesterday.  I  remember  that  there  was  a  most 
persuasive  voice  pleading  with  sinners  to  come  to  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ,  '  as  a  hiding-place  from  the  wind,  and  a  covert 
from  the  tempest ;  as  rivers  of  water  in  a  dry  place,  as  the 
shadow  of  a  great  rock  in  a  weary  land.'  I  could  not  but 
know  that  the  house  was  full  of  a  tender  and  half  tearful 
emotion.  There  was  that  solemn  silence  so  indicative  of 
wakeful  and  intense  sensibility.  One  felt  himself  in  the 
midst  of  heart-throbs  and  the  deep  communing  of  souls. 

"  No  doubt,  when  one  looks  back  over  the  lapse  of  thirty- 
five  years  to  call  up  a  scene  or  an  event  like  this,  and  to 
report  the  impressions  made  by  it,  something  must  be  allowed 
for  the  imagination  of  youth  and  the  transfiguring  power  of 
time.  But  after  all,  one  can  in  some  degree  measure  these 
former  experiences,  by  comparing  them  one  with  another, 
and  finding  out  whether  they  are  freshly  or  only  dimly  re- 
ported by  the  memory  to-day.  Brought  to  this  test,  we 
know  that  the  preaching  of  Mr.  Kirk  that  night  in  Hartford 
fastened  itself  on  the  conscience  and  heart  in  a  very  marked 
and  peculiar  manner." 

During  his  sojourn  in  France,  Mr.  Kirk  saw  more  clearly  ^ 
than  ever  into  the  workings  of  the  papal  system.  It  was 
his  conviction  of  its  strange  perversion  of  the  pure  religion 
of  Christ  which  led  him  to  solicit  funds  for  mission-work 
among  the  Romanists.  Shortly  after  his  return  to  this 
country  he  was  informed  that  an  interesting  mission  had 
been  commenced  among  the  French  Canadians  by  Madame 
Feller,  a  Swiss  lady,  who  had  no  human  helper  but  a  young 
student  of  theology.  She  was  struggling  amid  great  embar- 
rassments, unsustained  by  any  organization,  eminent  for  zeal, 
judgment,  trust  in  God.     Mr.  Kirk  readily  accepted  an  in- 


160  LIFE  OF  EDWARD  NORRIS  KIRK. 

vitation  to  visit  her  mission  in  the  Grande  Ligne,1  on  the  river 
Sorel,  or  Richelieu.  He  found  everything  hopeful ;  but  the 
purse  was  empty,  and  the  mission  house  unfinished.  Madame 
Feller's  influence  over  that  peasantry  was  admirable  to 
behold.  Her  lofty  character,  her  maternal  tenderness,  her 
sound  judgment,  her  spirit  of  self-sacrifice,  had  been  a  new 
revelation  to  that  priest-ridden  people.  It  was  obvious  that 
it  was  only  necessary  for  her  to  be  seen  by  the  ladies  of  the 
churches,  and  to  have  them  acquainted  with  her  story,  to 
insure  all  the  funds  needed  to  place  her  mission  on  a  perma- 
nent basis.  She  was  then  unable  to  speak  our  language  in 
any  but  broken  phraseology.  True  to  his  sense  of  duty, 
therefore,  Mr.  Kirk  invited  her  to  accompany  him  to  Mon- 
treal and  the  great  cities  of  the  States.  He  was  not  disap- 
pointed. She  won  the  hearts  of  the  friends  of  Christ.  The 
mission  at  once  commenced  the  process  of  expansion.  She 
now  rests  from  her  life  of  toil ;  but  had  she  lived  in  a  super- 
stitious age,  her  name  had  surely  been  found  in  the  catalogue 
of  the  canonized.  With  great  regret,  Mr.  Kirk  was  com- 
pelled, many  years  after,  to  cease  all  connection  with  this 
most  valuable  mission,  because  by  some  means  it  passed  into 
the  hands  of  another  denomination.  At  the  dedication  of 
her  chapel,  on  which  occasion  he  was  invited  to  preach  the 
sermon,  two  young  men,  members  of  the  Romish  Church, 
had  come  ten  or  twelve  miles  to  hear  what  this  new  religion 
might  be.  They  were  both  converted,  joined  the  mission 
school,  pursued  their  theological  studies  under  Merle  D'Au- 
bigne\  and  became  preachers  of  the  gospel  among  the 
French. 

One  of  these  young  men,  the  Rev.  Narcisse  Cyr,  now  of 
Boston,  thus  narrates  the  story  :  — 

"  When  the  mission  house  was  to  be  opened,  for  the  erection  of  which 
Mr.  Kirk,  in  company  with  Madame  Feller,  had  raised  a  good  portion  of 

1  Grande  Ligne  is  the  name  of  a  farming  the  inhabitants  are  built.     As  the  farms  on 

settlement,  thickly  inhabited,  more  or  less  both  sides  of  the  road,  although  a  mile  long, 

distant  from  a  village  ;  its  name  is  derived  are  only  three  hundred  and  sixty  feet  wide, 

from  the  straight  road,  from  five  to  seven  the  houses  are  almost  as  near  each  other  as 

miles  in  length,  on  which  the  dwellings  of  in  many  villages. 


REVIVAL  AND   OTHER  LABORS.  161 

the  money,  it  was  very  natural  to  invite  him  to  preach  the  dedicatory 
discourse.  It  was  in  the  summer  of  1840.  The  occasion  was  favored 
with  a  beautiful  August  day,  and  early  the  converts  and  the  friends  of 
the  mission  gathered  at  the  ringing  of  •  the  bell,  whose  notes,  the  first 
Sabbath-calling  notes  ever  heard  in  that  region,  resounded  loud  and  clear 
over  the  plains.  A  large  number  of  friends  attended  from  Montreal,  Bos- 
ton, and  New  York.  An  audience  of  about  two  hundred  and  fifty,  the 
fourth  of  whom  were  French  Canadians,  collected  for  the  morning  ser- 
vice. The  exercises  were  all  conducted  in  French.  After  a  prayer  by 
Rev.  L.  Roussy,  who  had  preached  the  gospel  in  a  private  house  close  by 
since  1836,  and  the  singing  of  a  hymn  by  the  congregation,  Mr.  Kirk 
read  portions  of  the  eighth  chapter  of  the  book  of  Kings,  which  describes 
the  dedication  of  Solomon's  temple;  and  taking  his  text  in  Matt.  iv.  16: 
"  The  people  which  sat  in  darkness  saw  great  light;  and  to  them  ivhich  sat  in 
the  region  and  shadoio  of  death,  light  is  sprung  up  ; "  he  dwelt  eloquently 
upon  the  evangelical  light,  which  had  begun  to  dawn  upon  Canada,  and 
the  need  of  its  divine  rays  for  every  soul.  He  reviewed  briefly  the  his- 
tory of  the  mission,  and  stated  that  the  objects  it  had  in  view  were  four: 
1st.  To  teach  the  Bible — not  Protestantism,  not  Presbyterianism,  not 
Baptism,  but  simply  the  Bible ;  to  teach  every  child  to  read  the  Bible, 
and  to  place  it  by  the  grace  of  God  in  a  few  years  in  every  family  in  the 
country ;  2d.  To  preach  the  gospel,  teaching  the  necessity  of  faith ;  3d. 
To  work  for  the  conversion  of  souls,  personally  and  individually;  4th. 
To  raise  up  a  branch  of  the  Church  of  Christ. 

' '  The  writer  of  this  account,  then  a  Romanist,  was  present,  having 
been  induced  to  come  from  a  distance  of  twelve  miles,  with  a  Protestant 
friend,  who  had  offered  him  a  seat  in  his  buggy.  He  well  remembers 
the  impression  made  on  him  by  the  eloquent  and  solemn  tones  of  the 
preacher.  Mr.  Kirk,  during  his  residence  in  Paris,  had  acquired  the 
French  language  in  a  remarkable  degree.  In  France  he  had  spoken  only 
in  social  meetings,  not  daring  to  venture  before  a  large  audience  of  highly 
cultivated  persons  such  as  would  have  naturally  assembled,  had  he 
preacbed  there;  but.at  Grande  Ligne  he  felt  free  to  speak  to  an  audience 
composed  of  English-speaking  people  and  simple  French  Canadian  farm- 
ers. He  did  not  read  his  discourse,  for  that  would  not  have  been  preach- 
ing in  the  French  sense  of  the  word;  he  improvised,  having  only  a  few 
notes  before  him.  His  French  was  grammatical  and  idiomatic  ;  the  way 
he  pronounced  the  liquid  Ws  was  'music  to  the  ear.'  His  American 
accent  made  his  delivery  more  interesting. 

"  He  spoke  again  in  French  at  four  o'clock,  and  it  was  announced  that 
he  would  preach  also  on  the  evening  of  the  next  day.  I  felt  a  great  de- 
sire to  hear  him  again,  as  my  soul  had  been  deeply  stirred.  On  my  way 
home,  I  conversed  upon  religion  with  my  Protestant  friend,  whose  re- 
ligious feelings  had  been  warmed  up  by  the  American  preacher. 
11 


162  LIFE   OF  EDWARD  NORMS  KIRK. 

"  I  had  another  friend,  a  very  pious  Romanist,  who  had  not  dared  to 
attend  the  opening  of  the  mission  house.  I  wanted  him  to  accompany 
me  to  hear  Mr.  Kirk  on  the  Monday  evening,  and  yet  I  was  afraid  to 
broach  the  subject  to  him,  as  I  thought  he  might  not  only  refuse,  but  use 
his  influence  to  prevent  me  from  going.  However,  as  my  heart  was  set 
on  hearing  Mr.  Kirk  again,  I  decided  to  invite  him  to  accompany  me. 
Great  was  my  surprise  and  joy  to  find  him  pleased  with  the  invitation, 
and  ready  to  accept  it.  We  went,  taking  a  roundabout  road,  so  as  not  to 
pass  before  my  father's  house,  and  on  the  way  we,  conversed  earnestly 
on  religion.  My  friend  was  somewhat  surprised  that  I  was  so  much  in- 
terested in  the  subject.  The  gospel  had  commenced  to  dawn  in  beauty 
before  my  awakened  soul,  and  out  of  the  abundance  of  the  heart  the 
mouth  spoke. 

"  We  were  very  warmly  received,  and  entertained  for  the  night  at  the 
mission  house.  The  attendance  from  the  people  of  the  neighborhood 
was  greater  on  the  Monday  evening  than  on  the  day  previous.  Many 
had  felt  ashamed  to  appear  in  their  home-spun  vestments  by  the  side  of 
the  broadcloth  of  Montreal  and  Boston ;  but  as  the  visitors  had  then 
nearly  all  departed,  they  felt  free  to  come.  About  a  hundred  listened  to 
the  sermon  with  great  attention  and  interest.  Some  remained  after  the 
service  to  converse  with  Mr.  Kirk.  As  to  the  two  young  men  who  had 
come  twelve  miles,  they  had  certainly  been  interested  also,  but  they  could 
not  help  feeling  somewhat  disappointed.  The  preacher  had  discoursed 
on  the  text,  What  think  ye  of  Christ?  and  although  the  sermon  had  been 
excellent,  it  seemed  to  present  nothing  to  them  essentially  different  from 
what  they  had  been  taught  from  their  infancy  concerning  Christ  as  a 
Saviour.  After  conversing  that  night,  as  they  retired,  they  both  came 
to  the  conclusion  that  it  was  not  worth  their  while  to  break  away  from 
the  church  of  their  birth,  grieve  their  parents,  and  incur  the  ill-will  of 
their  friends,  in  order  to  profess  the  Protestant  faith.  Their  hereditary 
belief,  however,  had  received  a  severe  blow.  The  preacher  had  set  them 
thinking  ('  what  think  ye  ?'),  and  the  Bible  had  been  opened  to  them; 
they  resolved  not  to  accept  dogmas  blindly  any  more,  but  to  inquire  into 
the  foundations  of  their  faith. 

"  When  Mr.  Kirk  visited  the  mission  the  following  year,  these  two 
young  men  went  again  to  hear  him,  and  were  deeply  moved  as  he  urged 
them  privately  to  give  their  hearts  to  God.  And  some  six  months  later, 
having  read  the  New  Testament  with  care  and  prayer,  both  knelt  down 
one  evening,  in  the  room  of  one  of  them,  and  when  they  rose,  they  felt 
that  they  had  passed  from  death  unto  life.  They  were  baptized  and 
joined  the  church  at  Grande  Ligne.  After  due  reflection  and  prayer, 
they  both  studied  for  the  ministry  under  Dr.  Merle  D'Aubigne,  in 
Geneva,  and  are  now  preaching  the  gospel,  the  Rev.  T.  Lafleur  in  Mon- 
treal, and  the  writer  of  this  sketch  in  Boston.     They  always  felt  very 


EEVIVAL  AND  OTHER  LABORS.  163 

tenderly  towards  Dr.  Kirk,  as  his  words,  more  than  those  of  any  other 
person,  had  been  blessed  to  their  conversion. 

"  Mr.  Kirk  continued  to  visit  Grande  Ligne  almost  every  year,  spend- 
ing his  vacations  most  usefully  in  preaching  and  advising  the  missionaries. 
His  influence  was  deeply  felt,  and  all  looked  with  great  interest  for  these 
visits.  In  1843  he  did  not  consider  it  beneath  his  dignity  to  preach 
the  dedicatory  sermon  of  a  very  humble  house  of  worship  in  the  forest 
of  the  townsbip  of  Milton.  He  was  accompanied  by  Deacon  and  Mrs. 
Safford.  The  place  had  been  called  Berea,  on  account  of  the  read- 
iness with  which  the  new  settlers  had  embraced  the  gospel.  A  log- 
house,  designed  to  serve  as  a  chapel  and  school,  had  been  built.  In 
winter  the  place  was  easy  of  access,  but  in  summer  it  was  almost  inacces- 
sible except  to  hardy  pioneers.  As  there  was  no  carriage-road  for  the 
distance  of  six  miles,  Dr.  Kirk  had  to  ride  with  his  Boston  friends  on  a 
sled  of  very  primitive  construction,  being  seated  on  two  or  three  bundles 
of  straw.  The  sled  was  drawn  by  a  yoke  of  oxen  through  the  woods, 
over  a  rough  path,  such  as  is  cut  in  the  forest  for  winter  roads,  in  which 
mud,  stones,  and  stumps  abound  in  summer.  The  writer  well  recollects 
how  dignified  tbe  doctor  looked  when  he  started  in  this  novel  equi- 
page and  how  prostrated  he  seemed  to  be  at  the  end  of  the  journey. 

"  He  preached,  however,  that  night,  in  the  little  school-house,  and  the 
next  day  in  the  open  air,  under  the  shadow  of  the  trees,  where  he  took 
for  his  text  :  "  /  am  the  vine,  and  my  Father  is  the  husbandman."  He  had 
at  hand  the  means  of  illustrating  his  subject,  and  used  them  admirably. 
The  simple  dwellers  of  the  forest,  many  of  whom  had  really  awakened  to 
a  new  spiritual  life,  were  both  delighted  and  strengthened  in  their  new 
faith." 

In  a  letter  from  Philadelphia,  June  5, 1840,  Mr.  Kirk  thus 
speaks  of  his  labors  in  the  city  in  connection  with  this  en- 
terprise :  "  The  Philadelphians  have  not  given  me  much 
rest.  I  spoke  almost  every  day  while  the  Assembly  was  sit- 
ting ;  wrote  a  narrative  of  the  state  of  religion ;  wrote  and 
preached  a  sermon  ;  attended  to  my  duties  in  the  Assembly ; 
and  at  the  same  time  had  Madame  Feller  here,  holding  meet- 
ings in  private  houses  constantly  with  her.  The  ladies  of 
this  city  have  given  her  a  noble  reception.  We  have  raised 
among  the  ladies  alone  about  $1,000  to  complete  the  mis- 
sion house  at  Grande  Ligne.  She  is  an  eminently  pious 
woman,  and  is  doing  great  good  to  the  young  converts  here, 
as  well  as  to  older  Christians.  She  stays  with  a  family,  re- 
cently one  of  the  gayest  in  the  city,  now  turned  to  the  Lord 


164  LIFE    OF  EDWARD  NOBBIS   EFEK. 

and  bis  service."'  This  enterprise  has  long  been  a  power  in 
Canada  iu  respect  of  tbe  interests  of  education  and  religion. 
Anions:  tbe  friendships  of  his  life  was  one  formed  during  this 
period. 

••  While  in  Montreal  advocating  Madame  Feller's  mission,  a  young 
man  introduced  himself  to  me.  his  name  John  Dougall.  Was  a  member 
of  the  Unirarian  Church :  of  Scotch       scent,  &  S  otchman. 

been  attending  our  services.     His  mind  wa*  f  ally  aroused  to  the  courie- 
red a  gre  iter  S  n  tained  in  the  inter- 
-vhieh  he  had  been  accustomed.    With  a  broken 
heart  and  an  earnest  faith  he  cam-,                   in  the  God-Ms: 
for  sinners,  exalted  to  give  repentance  and  remission  of  sins 

From  that  time  forward  he  followed  the  course  of   this 
vcuno;  man.  -probably  the  most  useful  man  in  Canad. . 
editor  of  the  "  Christian  Witness  "  of  Montreal ;  but  now 
-  the  editor  of  the  -Daily  Witn  ss  "  of  New 
York,  doing  through  the  press  the  work  of  an  evangi  list 

From  the  very  beginning  of  his  religions  -    Mr.  Kirk 

ssed  with  the  most  urgent  invitations,  from  the  most 

prominent  churches,  to  assume  again  the  fur.  -     :  the 

rate.    In  1828,  alone,  he  had  received  - 
settle  :  and  in  later  years  the  same  kind  of  in*-  a  were 

repeated.     Baltimore.  Philadelphia.  New  York.  Chaiv  - 
Hartford,    New   Haven.   Cincinnati,    Buffalo.    Chicago,   and 
other  places   of  less    note,  had  urged   the  claims   of   their 
churches  upon  his  attention.     Oberlin  had  offered  him  the 

■s     -hip   of    Sacred   Rhetoric    and    Pastoral    7 
The  trustees  of  the  University  of  Michigan  had  elected  him 
to  the  presidency  of  the  institution. 

Bostc  d  bad  solicited  him  with  calls  to  three  of  her  chore]    - . 
—  the  Salem  Church,  the  Union  Church,  and  the  Pine  S: 
Church.     Each  one  of  these  calls  came  too  Boon  :  yet  toward 
P>  ston,  of  all  cities,  he  had  felt  tb    sbronges  .In 

the  midst  of  his  revival  work,  a  number  of  rebgious  pe 
in  Boston,  chiefly  members  of  the  Park  S:       t  s        ty,  sec- 
onded by  the  Rev.  Dr.  Aiken,  arranged  for      -        -    f  special 
s,  to  be  held  in  the  Park  Street  Church.     On  Satur- 


BE  VITAL  AND   OTHER   LABOES.  165 

day  evening.  June  27,  1840,  Mr.  Kirk  preached  his  first  ser- 
mon in  Boston.  —  his  text,  "Prepare  to  meet  thy  God."  For 
nine  successive  days,  twice  each  day.  the  doors  of  the  church 
were  opened  to  the  multitudes  thronging  to  hear  his  message. 
Long  before  the  time  of  service,  people  were  gathering  out- 
side, ready  in  the  first  few  moments  to  fill  pews,  aisles,  and 
pulpit.  No  audience-room  was  large  enough  to  hold  the 
multitudes  that  came  together.  Upon  three  occasions  these 
special  services  were  held  in  the  same  church,  the  last  in  the 
autumn  of  1S41.  They  resulted  in  the  formation  of  the 
church  with  which  the  name  of  Kirk  is  ever  associated.  — 
the  scene  of  many  an  earnest  endeavor  to  make  Boston  more 
thoroughly  Christian  :  with  what  results  the  following  pages 
will  disclose.  We  append  some  letters  belonging  to  this 
period  :  — 

••Boston.  Ju'y  3.  1S40. 

"My  pear  Sister.  —  Here  I  am.  laboring  harder  than  ever.  All 
this  -week  I  have  had  three  meetings  a  day.  To-day  I  shall  have  but 
two:  to-morrow,  none.  On  Sunday  I  shall  preach  twice,  attend  the 
monthly  eoneert  on  Monday,  and  then  retire  to  Bolton  and  spend  a  week 
■with  Mr.  W.*s  family  at  their  lovely  country  retreat,  hoping  to  rind  re- 
pose. The  interest  in  religion  is  rising  here.  The  Unitarians  are  said 
never  to  have  taken  so  much  interest  in  the  Orthodox  service  before. 

••  They  have  personally  treated  me  with  the  greatest  kindness.  Many 
of  them  declare  that  they  have  long  been  dissatisfied  with  the  coldness 
of  their  own  preachers.  I  am  only  sorry  that  I  cannot  now  remain  and 
labor  longer  here,  since  it  seems  as  if  God  would  crown  my  labors  with 
success.  But  I  must  stop.  The  weather  is  very  warm,  and  I  must  relax 
the  bow.  or  it  will  snap.  So  my  friends  say  in  every  place;  and  yet  they 
uro;e  me  to  labor  for  them,  and  then  stop. 

••  I  am  very  sorry  to  find  that  our  arrangements  for  goiDg  to  Canada 
are  to  be  somewhat  deranged.  The  house  will  not  be  prepared  for  en- 
tering until  the  9th  of  August.  Of  course,  it  is  needless  for  me  to  go  up 
so  soon  as  we  anticipated.  This  will  disappoint  several  friends  who 
were  goin^  to  accompany  me.  I  trust,  however,  that  it  will  not  prevent 
your  going  to  Montreal  as  soon  as  your  vacation  commences.  You  can 
find  some  opportunity.  I  hope.  Mr.  M.  will  know  of  some  one  going 
who  will  take  charge  of  you. 

'•  Precisely  what  course  I  shall  take  after  my  week  at  Bolton  is  termi- 
nated, I  know  not.  Perhaps  I  shall  go  to  Xew  Haven  and  finish  my 
work  there.     I  have  preached,  but  have  not  yet  taken  the  money  for  our 


166  LIFE   OF  EDWAKD   NORMS   KIRK. 

cause.     If  I  find  myself  still  exposed  to  be  injured  by  laboring  in  the  hot 
weatber,  I  sball  make  an  excursion,  which  I  have  proposed  for  years,  to 

Long  Branch 

"  Believe  me,  dear  sister,  your  affectionate 

"  Edward." 

His  apprehensions  in  regard  to  his  health,  hinted  at  in  the 
foregoing  letter,  proved  to  be  only  too  well  founded.  He 
broke  down  under  the  severe  labors  of  the  spring  and  sum- 
mer.    In  his  protracted  illness,   news  of  his  father's  death 

came  to  him  :  — 

"  New  York,  August  27,  1840. 

"  My  dear  Mother  and  Sisters, —  The  blow  is  then  struck  which 
severs  the  bonds  that  bound  us  to  husband  and  father.  I  am  too  weak 
to  write  to  you  as  I  wish.  But  I  must  commune  a  moment  with  you  on 
this  solemn  event.  It  costs  me  but  one  painful  emotion:  that  is,  the  vivid 
review  it  causes  me  to  take  of  all  my  filial  ingratitude  and  disobedience 
now  deeply  affects  me.  But  that  he  has  forgiven;  and  may  God  forgive 
it,  and  not  visit  on  me  the  sins  of  my  youth.  For  him  I  sigh  not,  but 
rejoice  with  fervent  gratitude  to  God.  Another  ransomed  soul  has  en- 
tered its  rest,  another  conqueror  has  gone  to  join  the  great  procession 
who  march  with  palm-leaves  over  heaven's  golden  pavements,  their 
robes  made  white  in  the  blood  of  the  Lamb.  I  see  him  there,  I  hear  his 
song.  He  loved  the  Redeemer  of  sinners,  and  Jesus  loved  him,  loves 
him  now,  will  love  him  forever.  Blessed  be  his  name!  Yes,  my  father  is 
in  heaven;  and  he  is  bending  over  us,  beckoning  us  to  follow  him.  Earth 
is  growing  lighter  to  my  poor  trusting  heart.  Thanks  to  God,  he  is 
multiplying  the  links  which  bind  to  heaven. 

"  I  would  that  I  could  be  with  you  at  the  funeral;  but  I  have  not  been 
across  the  threshold  of  my  chamber  until  yesterday.     I  am  now  improv- 
ing; but  my  physician  says  my  danger  will  not  be  past  for  a  month  yet. 
"  Your  affectionate  Edward.  ' ' 


CHAPTER  IX. 

SETTLEMENT  AND  FIRST  YEARS  IN  BOSTON. 
1842-1845. 

The  distinguishing  characteristics  of  Dr.  Kirk  as  a  pastor 
may  be  thus  briefly  expressed  :  He  made  each  of  his  two 
churches  the  living  centre  of  a  power  to  be  felt  far  and  near ; 
he  was  never  content  to  make  the  enlargement  of  the  local 
church  the  motive  power  of  his  work  ;  he  always  looked 
beyond  even  the  extreme  limits  of  his  parish. 

The  Mount  Vernon  Church  of  Boston  owes  its  origin  to 
no  special  reformatory  efforts.  Its  founders  were  men  of 
marked  personality,  yet  they  assumed  their  self-imposed 
functions  simply  upon  "  the  condition  that  the  Rev.  E.  N. 
Kirk  consents  to  become  its  pastor."  There  was  no  distinct- 
ively temperance  nor  even  antislavery  basis  of  fellowship ; 
but  under  the  lead  of  such  a  pastor  its  name  has  become 
somewhat  like  that  of  another  Mount  Vernon  —  of  national 
repute.  From  1842  to  1872,  as  always  since,  truth  in  all  its 
many-sidedness  was  given  with  no  trembling  voice  or  hesitat- 
ing manner  from  that  pulpit.  Truth,  and  not  expediency, 
was  its  motto.  The  preacher's  audience  were  frequently  to 
be  startled  by  his  boldness,  and  sometimes  they  expostulated 
against  it ;  yet  no  man  ever  made  him  timid.  Like  Mark 
Antony,  he  "  talked  right  on,"  and  in  the  same  line  of  truth. 

A  young  man,  in  the  early  history  of  the  enterprise,  once 
ventured  in  a  missionary  concert  to  draw  a  few  moral  les- 
sons. He  had  described  the  treachery  of  the  slaveholders 
of  Georgia  to  the  Indians  of  the  Choctaw  and  Cherokee 
tribes,  when  he  directed  the  thoughts  of  the  assembly  to  the 


168  LIFE   OF  EDWARD   NORRIS   KIRK. 

worse  treatment  given  the  blacks,  enlarging  upon  the  evils 
of  slavery.  At  the  close  of  the  meeting,  he  was  accosted  by 
an  honored  senior  with  the  remark,  "  Now  that  you  have  got 
rid  of  so  much  bile  I  suppose  you  feel  better."  There  was 
a  great  deal  of  such  so-called  "  bile  "  in  the  Mount  Vernon 
pulpit ;  and  in  the  dark  and  trying  days  to  come,  the  truth, 
no  longer  of  bilious  aspect  in  the  public  eye,  was  sent  forth 
from  that  station  on  Beacon  Hill  to  be  read  by  every  camp- 
fire  kindled  in  the  great  struggle  for  human  freedom. 

The  influence  of  Mount  Vernon  Church  has  been  felt  in 
two  great  social  movements, — the  aggressive  work  for  re- 
vivals of  religion  and  the  struggle  for  liberty. 

It  were  well  to  analyze  the  elements  of  such  an  influence, 
exerted  by  such  a  pastor  and  people.  Men  of  inferior  abil- 
ity and  feebler  piety  are  sometimes  made  prominent  by  their 
settlement  over  a  strong  and  flourishing  church  ;  Mr.  Kirk 
found  no  church  awaiting  him  when  he  came.  Others  have 
exalted  churches  of  less  dazzling  appearance  to  positions  of 
the  greatest  prominence.  Such  has  been  true  of  the  little 
church  of  Bethlehem,  Conn.,  historic  solely  because  of  its  re- 
nowned pastor,  Dr.  Bellamy.  President  Edwards  has  given 
an  undying  fame  to  the  old  church  of  Stockbridge,  number- 
ing once  as  his  auditors  only  a  few  whites  and  a  remnant  of 
Indians.  The  name  of  Emmons,  never  to  be  forgotten,  has 
been  the  rich  endowment  of  the  little  church  at  Franklin. 

Scores  of  churches  had  presented  their  claims  to  the  pol- 
ished preacher ;  and  among  them  were  some  of  the  wealthi- 
est and  most  powerful  in  the  land ;  but  none  of  these  moved 
him. 

A  little  company  —  looking  scattered  even  in  a  parlor  — 
with  no  organization  upon  which  to  rely,  and  of  course  know- 
ing not  where  they  should  find  a  place  for  their  public  wor- 
ship, moved  him  to  do  what  no  others  had  done.  He  deter- 
mined, in  coining  to  Boston,  to  build  upon  no  other  man's 
foundation,  but  to  add  his  efforts  to  those  already  put  forth 
to  make  the  city  of  his  adoption  more  thoroughly  evangel- 
ical. 


SETTLEMENT  AND  FIRST  YEARS   IN  BOSTON.         169 

The  multitudes  of  a  Sabbath  morning  were  safe  guides  to 
the  church  where  the  young  Chrysostom  was  to  preach. 
Unitarians  in  great  numbers  deserted  their  own  churches  to 
hear  him.  Many  a  worshiper  in  some  half-filled  upholstered 
pew  was  nettled  at  the  contrast ;  and  if  tradition  be  true,  — 
and  tradition  is  a  tree  of  many  branches,  each  branch  bear- 
ing the  same  truth-telling  fruit,  —  several,  pricked  in  their 
hearts  by  something  besides  religion,  privately  suggested,  and 
even  once  openly,  that  Kirk  should  have  a  church  of  his  own. 

It  matters  not  who  made  the  suggestion  ;  the  idea,  first 
spoken  half  in  jest  and  half  in  earnest,  was  a  good  seed  flung 
upon  good  soil.  Daniel  S afford,  George  W.  Crockett,  Julius 
A.  Palmer,  Charles  Stoddard,  William  W.  Stone,  Pliny  Cut- 
ler, Moses  L.  Hale,  Charles  Scudder,  and  Secretary  Bliss  of 
the  Tract  Society, — themselves  afterwards  members  of  the 
first  committee  to  carry  out  the  project,  —  heard  the  ironical 
proposition  as  others  did,  and  mutually  suggested  that  it 
must  have  been  God  who  spoke. 

At  a  meeting  held  in  Deacon  S afford' s  parlor,  December 
16,  1841,  these  men  were  chosen,  out  of  a  company  no  less 
worthy  than  themselves,  to  embody  the  newly  formed  pur- 
pose, and  to  supervise  all  matters  involved  in  the  undertak- 
ing. Deacons  Cutler  and  Stoddard  were  providentially  de- 
barred from  serving  on  this  committee,  and  their  places 
were  afterwards  filled  by  others. 

Such  a  committee  must  bear  a  commission  from  noble 
men.  Honored  as  many  of  these  names  have  become  in  the 
churches,  it  is  nevertheless  true  that,  in  every  church,  the 
official  records,  stirring  though  they  may  be,  only  serve  to 
hint  at  the  grander  history  made  by  names  which  do  not 
appear.  What  were  such  men  as  these  even,  were  we  to 
forget  Eliphalet  Kimball  who  for  ten  years  had  persistently 
followed  the  young  Albany  pastor  to  secure  him  for  some 
Boston  field,  —  piously  anxious  all  the  while,  until  the  mem- 
orable May  14,  1842,  when  it  was  announced  to  the  little 
group  in  Mr.  Safford's  parlor  that  Mr.  Kirk  had  decided  to 
come  ?     What  were  these,  without  the  clear-headed,  calm, 


170  LIFE   OF  EDWARD  NORMS   KIRK. 

earnest  Samuel  Hubbard,  judge  of  the  supreme  court,  who 
gave  his  deliberate  judgment  upon  all  questions  touching 
the  new  church  ?  Side  by  side  sat  the  church  financier,  the 
business  Crockett,  and  the  quiet,  genial  Marshall  S.  Scudder, 
the  latter  chosen  to  the  diaconate  in  the  twenty-third  year  of 
his  age.  And  what  would  be  the  history  of  this  church  with- 
out the  name  of  Albert  Hobart,  prompt,  accurate,  beloved, 
and  always  in  his  place  of  duty  —  the  man  who  never  for- 
got the  place  of  prayer  ?  It  was  he,  of  whom  his  brethren 
facetiously  remarked,  that  if  on  some  Friday  evening,  sick- 
ness should  keep  him  at  home,  his  boots  would  surely  be 
found  on  their  way  to  his  usual  place  in  the  chapel. 

These  men  were  a  few  of  the  earlier  representatives  of 
what  in  later  years  has  become  an  historic  church.  Yet 
faithful  as  were  these  and  kindred  workers,  they  added  no 
brilliancy  and  delegated  no  new  power  to  their  pastor,  who 
had  already  established  a  reputation  equaled  by  few.  Still, 
led  by  such  a  pastor,  each  man  added  to  the  efficiency  of  the 
whole  by  a  self-denial  and  self-sacrifice  which  has  been  well 
rewarded. 

Not  yet  had  Boston  recovered  her  own  ground,  lost  from 
the  faith.  The  conflict,  long  waged  between  the  advocates 
of  Unitarianism  and  of  Trinitarianism,  was  still  going  on. 
In  1800,  among  churches  of  the  Congregational  order,  the 
"  Old  South  "  alone  was  faithful  to  the  doctrines  of  the  New 
England  fathers.  In  1809  Park  Street  Church. was  added, 
a  tower  of  strength  and  of  safety.  For  thirteen  years  these 
two  churches  held  the  field  alone.  In  1822  the  Union 
Church,  then  upon  Essex  Street,  was  another  movement  be- 
gun in  prayer.  The  next  year,  South  Boston  witnessed  the 
formation  of  the  Phillips  Church.  The  Hanover  Church 
began  its  rich  history  in  1825,  under  the  leadership  of  Dr. 
Lyman  Beecher,  afterwards  moving  from  the  original  site 
and  becoming  otherwise  known  as  the  Bowdoin  Street 
Church.  The  Salem  Street  and  the  Pine  Street  (now  Berke- 
ley Street)  churches  began  their  career  in  1827.  The  "  Cen- 
tral "  was  organized  eight  years  later.  In  1836  the  Maverick 
Church  of  East  Boston  was  added  to  the  fellowship. 


SETTLEMENT   AND  FIRST   YEARS   IN  BOSTON.        171 

To  the  Rev.  Silas  Aiken,  of  Park  Street,  more  than  to  any- 
other  man,  was  due  the  formation  of  the  Mount  Vernon 
Church  in  1842.  While  other  pulpits  were  not  in  the  full- 
est sympathy  with  the  labors  of  evangelists,  the  doors  of  his 
church  were  for  three  seasons  open  to  Mr.  Kirk.  The  friend- 
ship formed  between  the  two  was  never  broken.  The  sur- 
vivor wrote  of  his  friend,  after  the  latter  was  called  home  : 
"  Dr.  Aiken  was  a  man  of  great  integrity  of  purpose,  a  high 
sense  of  ministerial  responsibility,  of  great  candor  and  chari- 
table disposition,  very  regardful  of  others'  rights,  and  of  more 
than  ordinary  humility.  He  was  a  man  of  solid  acquire- 
ments, of  firm  principle,  of  thorough  devotedness  to  the 
cause  of  Christ,  and  of  great  simplicity.  I  never  knew  him 
to  make  an  injurious  or  unkind  remark." 

The  preliminary  arrangements  having  been  completed,  the 
council  was  convened  on  Wednesday,  June  1,  1842,  at  nine 
o'clock,  A.  M.  The  first  great  obstacle  presenting  itself  to 
the  representatives  of  the  churches  was  the  new  body's  con- 
fession of  faith.  Not  that  it  was  heretical ;  but  the  ring  of 
the  old  formulas  had  not  yet  lost  their  music  in  dogmatic 
ears,  and  many  of  the  fondly  cherished  phrases  were  missing. 
Mr.  Kirk  had  prepared  it,  and  it  had  been  unanimously 
adopted  by  the  proposed  members  of  the  new  church.  Mem- 
bers of  the  council  regarded  it  as  too  rhetorical.  Some 
said  it  was  an  attempt  to  be  original.  After  they  had  cut  it 
into  very  small  pieces  with  their  criticisms,  the  scribe  gave 
back  what  remained  of  this  "  attempt  at  originality,"  into 
the  care  of  the  church  committee  ;  and  then  the  council  ad- 
journed for  an  hour  or  more,  to  await  the  church's  action. 

It  was  the  old  question  of  independency  and  fellowship. 
The  church  met  and  voted  at  once  to  adhere  to  their  original 
confession.  Among  the  five  ajapointed  by  the  council  to 
confer  with  them  was  Lieutenant-governor  Armstrong.,  dea- 
con of  the  Old  South  Church,  and  among  the  pleasant  me- 
mories of  him  is  the  advice  that  he  privately  gave  these 
sons  of  the  Pilgrims  to  make  no  change  in  the  phraseology 
of  the  paper. 


172  LIFE   OF  EDWARD   NORMS   KIRK 

The  church  reported  back  to  the  council  their  decision  ; 
and  the  council  threw  their  choice  criticisms  into  somebody's 
waste-basket,  and  voted  to  organize  upon  the  paper  as  orig- 
inally drawn  up,  politely  backing  down  and  leaving  the 
church  alone  in  its  supreme  authority,  from  which  no  depart- 
ure has  ever  been  made. 

Adhering  strictly  to  the  early  principles  of  the  denomina- 
tion, the  church  met  between  the  sessions  of  the  council, 
private  and  public,  and  elected  Mr.  Kirk  to  its  membership, 
in  the  firm  belief  that  the  pastor  is  first  to  be  a  member  of 
the  church,  and  is  then  to  be  ordained  by  the  church  through 
the  council.  They  then  formally  called  him  to  the  pastor- 
ate, ratifying  all  previous  action.  The  impression  produced 
by  this  action  was  doubtless  voiced  by  Mr.  Winslow,  who  in 
his  charge  to  the  pastor  at  the  public  installation  services 
spoke  of  the  church  as  "  a  lusty  infant  with  a  remarkably 
strong  constitution." 

The  public  services  of  the  afternoon  were  participated  in 
by  the  following  clergymen  :  — 

Introductory  prayer,  Rev.  George  W.  Blagden. 

Sermon,  Thomas  H.  Skinner,  D.  D. 

Installing  prayer,  Justin  Edwards,  D.  D. 

Charge  to  the  pastor,  Rev.  H.  Winslow. 

Right  hand  of  fellowship,  Rev.  Silas  Aiken. 

Address  to  the  church,  Rev.  Nehemiah  Adams. 

Concluding  prayer,  Rev.  John  A.  Albro. 

It  is  needless  to  say  that  Mr.  Kirk  came  to  Boston  as  a 
Congregationalist  in  the  strictest  sense.  He  believed  most 
emphatically  in  the  authority  of  the  local  church  rather  than 
of  the  presbytery.  We  are  fortunately  able  to  trace  the 
workings  of  this  change  in  his  own  language :  — 

"As  a  Presbyterian  minister  residing  on  the  borders  of  New  Eng- 
land, I  had  unconsciously  accepted  the  notion  prevalent  in  the  church, 
that  Presbyterians  and  Congregationalists  were  so  essentially  alike  that, 
as  a  matter  of  course,  every  New  England  minister  taking  a  pastoral 
charge  out  of  New  England  would  enter  the  Presbyterian  Church. 


SETTLEMENT  AND  FIRST   YEARS   IN   BOSTON.        173 

"  At  the  same  time  two  influences  were  preparing  me  to  take  a  differ- 
ent view  of  the  subject.  The  one  was  a  deep  natural  aversion  to  usurped 
authority,  —  a  profound  respect  for  my  independence  as  an  individual 
man,  and  of  the  independence  which  God  had  made  the  inalienable 
birthright  of  every  other  man.  The  other  was  the  fact  that  a  growing  ac- 
quaintance with  the  history  of  the  conflict  which  ended  in  the  exile  of 
the  Pilgrims,  was  opening  the  future  to  my  view.  The  struggle  with 
the  Stuarts,  I  found  to  be  one  of  the  great  hinges  of  history.  In  the 
events  of  that  period,  I  saw  that  the  Independents  had  made  the  dis- 
covery of  the  fundamental  principle  on  which  both  civil  and  ecclesiasti- 
cal governments  must  be  founded  ultimately.  It  appeared  to  me  that 
whatever  may  be  the  personal  excellence  of  the  individual  members  of 
the  Episcopal  or  of  the  Presbyterian  churches,  they  were  committed  to 
the  rejection  of  that  principle  ;  when  the  power  had  fallen  out  of  Epis- 
copal hands,  it  was  fought  —  resisted  —  just  as  fearfully  by  the  Pres- 
byterians as  it  had  been  by  the  Prelatists.  The  discoveries  made  by 
the  Pilgrims  have  given  this  republic  the  vital  elements  of  its  civil 
policy.  From  the  compact  written  on  board  the  Mayflower  has  come 
the  grand  result,  —  a  nation  whose  organic  law  is  a  written  constitution 
subject  to  changes  only  by  the  will  of  the  people,  solemnly  and  deliber- 
ately formed  and  expressed;  whose  specific  laws  are  framed,  whose 
property  is  taxed,  only  by  the  representatives  of  the  people  chosen  an- 
nually or  biennially.  From  the  profound  and  prayerful  examination  of 
the  word  of  God  made  by  this  suffering  people,  came  the  principle  that 
must  prevail  when  the  members  of  Christ's  body  shall  have  passed  from 
the  state  of  pupilage  to  the  maturity  of  Christian  manhood.  That  prin- 
ciple is  —  in  the  matters  of  faith  and  conscience  call  no  man  Master 
neither  be  ye  called  Master.  From  this  principle  has  grown  Congrega- 
tionalism, securing  the  most  sacred  regard  for  the  rights  of  the  individ- 
ual conscience  and  of  the  local  church. 

"  It  is  often  remarked  that  Congregationalists  are  singularly  deficient 
in  zeal  for  their  own  cause.  My  interpretation  of  the  case  is,  that  Con- 
gregationalism presents  nothing  that  strikes  the  senses  or  enlists  the  im- 
agination. I  account  for  this  by  the  baldness  of  its  worship,  and  the 
absence  of  all  show  of  power  and  authority  in  its  discipline.  The  real 
value  of  the  system  as  an  ecclesiastical  polity  is  its  reserved  power.  A 
Congregational  and  a  Presbyterian  church  may  work  side  by  side  for  a 
century,  with  no  observable  difference.  But  let  the  day  come  when  the 
rights  of  the  obscurest  member  of  the  church  are  invaded,  when  the 
officers  of  a  church  use  their  official  authority  as  an  instrument  of  their 
personal  will,  or  when  a  general  assembly  deprives  an  obscure  pastor 
of  his  rights,  then  that  obscure  disciple  of  Christ,  that  little  flock,  that 
persecuted  minister,  will  discover  why  the  Pilgrims  determined  to  re- 
duce human  power  in  the  government  of  the  church  to  the  minimum  of 
quantity  compatible  with  order." 


174  LIFE   OF  EDWARD  NORMS   KIRK. 

The  new  church  worshiped  for  several  months,  or  until 
the  dedication  of  the  new  edifice,  in  the  Masonic  Temple,  at 
the  corner  of  Tremont  Street  and  Temple  Place,  the  building 
now  occupied  by  the  United  States  courts.  The  spacious  hall, 
seating  about  a  thousand,  was  always  crowded.  The  great- 
est interest  was  manifested  in  the  prayer-meetings  held  in 
the  upper  vestry  of  the  Winter  Street  Church.  So  great 
was  the  disposition  to  attend  them  on  the  part  of  members 
of  other  churches,  that  the  Mount  Vernon  Church  passed  a 
resolution  inviting  none  but  members  of  their  own  body. 
This  resolution  was  necessary  in  order  that  no  complaint 
should  be  made  of  them  as  seeking  to  undermine  other 
churches.  The  judgment  of  Mr.  Kirk,  early  expressed,  was 
often  repeated,  that  the  Mount  Vernon  Church  prayer-meet- 
ings were  in  the  long  run  the  best  he  ever  attended. 

These  meetings  demand  more  than  a  casual  notice,  inas- 
much as  they  were  emphatically  sui  generis.  As  in  the 
crowded  congregations  was  manifest  the  power  of  the  pastor, 
so  were  these  weekly  gatherings  for  prayer  the  expression  of 
the  spiritual  life  of  the  church. 

Upon  the  deacons  has  always  rested  all  the  responsibility 
for  their  leadership.  Each  of  these  in  turn,  as  his  captain's 
subaltern,  was  charged,  as  "officer  of  the  week,"  with  the 
care  not  only  of  the  church  meeting,  but  of  providing  a 
preacher  for  the  pulpit  in  case  the  pastor  was  absent  or  from 
any  cause  unable  to  preach  himself ;  charged  also  with  the 
pulpit  notices,  excluding  everything  unauthorized  or  unsuit- 
able ;  charged  also  with  the  duty  and  privilege  of  caring  for 
the  sick  and  the  afflicted,  the  poor  and  the  needy.  It  is  not 
beyond  the  truth  to  affirm  that  a  call  to  the  diaconate  of 
such  a  church  involves  duties  hardly  inferior  to  those  of  the 
pastorate  in  many  a  smaller  field. 

From  the  pastor's  conception  of  the  dignity  and  require- 
ments of  such  a  calling,  it  may  readily  be  inferred  that  some- 
thing more  than  mere  exhortation,  trite  assertion,  and  super- 
ficial experience,  must  be  brought  to  the  prayer-meeting. 
No  emphatic  notice  was  needed  to  fill  the  spacious  chapel 


SETTLEMENT  AND   FIRST   YEARS   IN  BOSTON.        175 

each  Friday  evening.  Every  part  of  the  service  partook  of 
a  deep  solemnity ;  and  when  at  its  close,  as  was  his  invaria- 
ble custom,  the  pastor  occupied  the  fifteen  minutes  in  his 
own  inimitable  way,  it  was  easy  to  observe  the  marvelous 
strength  to  be  gained  in  such  an  atmosphere.  It  was  the 
family  meeting,  and  its  beloved  pastor  was  always  at  home. 
We  append  a  statement  kindly  furnished  by  Dea.  James  W. 
Kimball :  — 

"  Dr.  Kirk  at  the  start  said  to  his  people, '  I  want  it  to  be  fully  under- 
stood that  our  Friday  evening  mesting  is  in  very  deed  the  church's  meet- 
ing. I  wish  to  attend  it  as  one  of  the  church,  myself  conscious  of  the 
need  and  of  the  privilege  of  such  waiting  upon  God.  I  do  not  wish  to  be 
burdened  with  the  charge  of  it.  In  common  with  others  I  will  contribute 
what  I  can  to  its  maintenance. '  By  this  arrangement  he  considered  that 
he  was  kept  well-informed  of  the  status  of  his  several  members  and  of  the 
spiritual  tone  of  the  church.  It  was  the  understanding  and  the  endeavor 
of  the  brethren  that  fifteen  or  twenty  minutes  should  be  saved  for  his  use 
in  rounding  out  the  evening's  services.  It  is  doubtless  true  that  these 
church  meetings  were  interesting  and  useful  beyond  the  average  of  such 
meetings.  The  high  spiritual  and  intellectual  tone  of  Dr.  Kirk  would  of 
course  exert  a  controlling  influence.  There  was  always  the  utmost  free- 
dom for  prayer,  praise,  and  intelligent  utterance  consonant  with  that 
tone.  Assuredly  there  was  much  , prayer,  patient  thought,  and  pains- 
taking on  the  part  of  the  deacons  to  provide  and  to  initiate  some  script- 
ural lesson,  as  each  in  his  turn  was  required  to  lead  the  meeting.  Each 
did  what  he  could  himself,  —  did  all  he  could  to  encourage  others.  There 
was  no  systematic  endeavor  to  coerce  thirty  men  to  ventilate  the  wisdom 
of  Bacon  or  St.  Paul  in  as  many  minutes,  nor  yet  to  extract  as  many 
wise  or  unwise  experiences  from  those  who  had  more  to  learn  than  to 
communicate. 

"If  it  was  sometimes  complained  that  Mount  Vernon  Chapel  was  a 
hard  place  in  which  to  speak  or  pray,  it  may  well  be  questioned  if  the 
moral  and  intellectual  restraint  therein  imputed  was  less  or  other  than  a 
valuable  means  of  grace.  If  any  would  serve  Christ  and  his  church  by 
utterance  of  prayer,  praise,  or  suggestive  and  instructive  thought,  why 
should  it  not  cost  them  something  ?  Indeed,  the  utterances  most  useful 
and  welcome  have  ever  and  must  always  cost  more  than  the  complainers 
are  at  all  willing  to  pay.  In  the  prayer-meeting,  as  elsewhere,  only  those 
are  much  needed  who  are  willing,  —  who  in  effect  do  take  their  lives  in 
their  hands,  and  go  as  with  Paul  to  Jerusalem,  not  knowing  the  things 
that  may  befall  them  there.  Only  the  simple  believer  in  the  indwelling 
Comforter   may  safely  attempt   to  serve  Christ  and    his  church  in  the 


176  LITE  OF  EDWARD  NORRIS  KIRK. 

prayer-meeting.  Habitually  waiting  on  Him,  both  as  to  when  and  what 
to  speak,  he  shall  be  lifted  above  all  undue  concern  about  man's  judg- 
ment, and  empowered  to  speak  that  which  his  Lord  would  have  spoken. 
Herein  lies  the  secret  of  real  power  and  lasting  usefulness  in  the  prayer- 
meeting.  And  this  I  would  fain  believe  is  the  true  account  of  what  has 
made  the  Mount  Vernon  Church  prayer-meeting  to  be  gratefully  remem- 
bered. One  other  contribution  to  its  spirituality  may  well  be  named. 
The  pastor  and  deacons  maintained  through  Dr.  Kirk's  ministry  a  half 
hour  prayer  and  conference  meeting  on  Saturday  p.  m.,  and  almost  all 
their  intercourse  was  leavened  with  prayer.  A  motion  to  adjourn  on  any 
occasion  was  scarcely  in  order  without  a  preliminary  motion  to  pray." 

That  sometimes,  in  proportion  to  the  spiritual  life  of  the 
church,  the  intellectual  culture  and  formality  of  these  meet- 
ings were  too  prominent,  ma}^  readily  be  understood  :  young 
men  occasionally  complained  that  they  were  not  expected 
to  participate  in  them.  But  no  greater  mistake  was  ever 
made  ;  all  were  expected  to  be  equally  at  home  in  them. 

It  was  because  of  this  misapprehension  that  probably  more 
men  of  fervent  piety  and  known  ability  have  been  silent 
there  for  years,  than  can  be  found  in  any  other  church.  The 
men  silent  there  have  in  many  instances  become  leaders  in 
other  places  upon  removing  thence.  Such  a  meeting  might 
be  an  injury  to  many  churches  ;  yet  it  is  safe  to  say  that  to 
this,  more  than  to  any  other  agency  except  the  pulpit,  Mount 
Vernon  Church  owes  its  power.  The  names  of  those  chosen 
to  the  office  of  the  diaconate  will  awaken  in  many  hearts 
the  recollections  of  a  precious  history :  — 

DEACONS. 

Thomas  Adams,  chosen  June  1,  1842  ;  dismissed  February 

5,  1847. 
Daniel  Safford,  chosen  June  1,  1842 ;  died  February  3, 

1856. 
Julius  A.  Palmer,  chosen  June  1,  1842  ;  died  March  14, 

1872. 
Marshall  S.  Scudder,  chosen  June  1,  1842;  dismissed 

November  21,  1845. 


SETTLEMENT   AND  FIRST   YEARS   LN  BOSTON.        177 

Henry  Hill,  chosen  January  16,  1816 ;  resigned  January 

18,  1850. 
Oliver  B.  Dorrance,  chosen  February  19, 1847  ;  resigned 

January  17,  1851. 
James  William  Kimball,  chosen  February  19,  1847. 
Andrew  Cushing,  chosen  February  19,  1847. 
Joseph  C.  Tyler,  chosen  February  1,  1855 ;  term  of  office 

expired  February  2,  1871.     Reelected. 
Langdon   S.  Ward,  chosen   February  2,  1855;    resigned 

May  9,  1873. 
John  M.  Pinkerton,  chosen  February  17,  1860. 
Thomas  Y.  Crowell,  chosen  February  21,  1872. 
Joseph  D.  Leland,  chosen  January  20,  1875. 

From  the  records  and  manual  of  the  church  we  learn  that 
"the  first  meeting  with  reference  to  the  erection  of  a  house 
of  worship  was  convened  January  3,  1843,  by  a  public  no- 
tice from  the  pulpit  on  the  preceding  Sabbath.  At  this 
meeting  it  was  determined,  after  deliberation  and  prayer, 
that  the  time  had  arrived  when  they  were  called,  in  the 
providence  of  God,  to  go  forward  and  erect  another  sanct- 
uary for  his  worship.  A  subscription  was  accordingly  com- 
menced for  the  purpose,  and  subsequently  the  following 
gentlemen  were  elected  a  building  committee,  with  full 
power  to  select  the  location  and  erect  the  building,  to  wit : 
George  W.  Crockett,  William  W.  Stone,  Daniel  Safford, 
John  Slade,  Jr.,  Roland  Cutler,  Freeman  L.  Cushman,  and 
George  F.  Homer. 

"  After  many  ineffectual  attempts  to  obtain  a  situation 
combining  the  requisite  advantages,  the  committee  in  the 
month  of  May  succeeded  in  contracting  for  an  estate  on  the 
north  side  of  Somerset  Court,  now  Ashburton  Place,  a  site 
unequaled  perhaps  by  any  in  the  city  for  the  purpose  at  that 
time,  considering  its  quiet  location,  and  its  advantages  for 
ventilation  and  light." 

On  the  23d  of  June,  1843,  the  church  voted  to  assume  the 
name  of  the  "  Mount  Vernon  Congregational  Church." 

12 


178  LIFE   OF  EDWARD  NORMS    KIRK. 

"  The  corner-stone  was  laid  on  the  morning  of  July  4, 

1843,  on  which  occasion  an  appropriate  address  was  deliv- 
ered by  the  pastor  ;  and  the  Rev.  Lyman  Beecher,  D.  D., 
led  in  prayer. 

"    "  The  house  having  been  completed  on  the  4th  of  January, 

1844,  just  six  months  from  the  day  on  which  the  corner- 
stone was  laid,  it  was  solemnly  dedicated  to  the  worship  of 
Almighty  God.  The  pastor  was  assisted  in  the  services  of 
the  occasion  by  the  Rev.  Messrs.  Adams,  Winslow,  Rogers, 
Aiken,  Blagden,  and  Jenks." 

The  edifice  is  Grecian  and  not  Gothic,  and  is  without  a 
spire  ;  unpretending  in  its  construction,  yet  commodious  and 
rich  in  its  very  simplicity.  The  origin  of  its  name  is  thus 
given  by  Dr.  Kirk :  — 

"  I  have  often  desired  to  explain  the  title  of  this  church.  It  was  given 
in  deference  to  me,  I  believe,  and  I  will  give  you  my  reason,  as  it  in- 
volves what  may  be  of  importance.  I  do  not  like  to  call  a  church  by  a 
street.  I  do  not  believe  a  church  lives  in  a  street;  it  lives  in  the  house 
of  God.  '  Ashburton  Street  Church  '  does  not  please  me.  I  did  not  like 
to  call  it  by  a  mere  number  —  that  is  too  cold;  and  I  named  it,  just  as 
you  name  your  children,  from  fancy ;  not  from  Mount  Vernon  Street,  but 
because  it  is  a  pleasant  and  euphonious  name,  and  simply  for  distinction. 
As  for  naming  it  after  a  saint,  I  do  not  believe  in  that,  nor  after  a  sin- 
ner either.  Then  there  is  what  we  call  '  the  Chapel. '  I  tried  hard  to 
keep  the  phraseology.  It  is  not  a  '  vestry  '  —  we  do  not  change  our  vest- 
ments. I  preach  there  just  as  much  as  here;  therefore  it  was  called 
'  the  Chapel.'  These  are  minor  matters,  but  what  I  have  said  explains 
to  some  people  what  has  seemed  inexplicable  before." 

At  the  formation  of  the  church,  Mr.  Crockett  dryly  re- 
marked, as  he  looked  upon  the  little  company,  that  each 
man  could  have  an  office  if  he  so  desired.  But  from  the  day 
of  this  handful  down  to  1874,  or  until  their  pastor  "fell  on 
sleep,"  1,596  were  added,  —  919  from  other  churches,  and 
677  on  profession  of  their  faith.  It  was  a  steady  growth  ; 
and  although  not  so  large  as  was  that  of  the  church  in 
Albany,  was  yet  a  growth  carrying  with  it  greater  strength. 
The  benefactions  of  its  liberal  members,  through  the  hands 
of  their  treasurer,  to  outside  benevolent  work  amounted  in 


MOUNT  VERNON   CHURCH. 


SETTLEMENT  AND   FIRST   YEARS   IN  BOSTON.        179 

this  one  pastorate,  or  until  the  close  of  1874,  to  more  than 
$315,000,  varying  from  $3,975.90  the  lowest,  to  $19,477.46, 
the  highest  in  any  one  year. 

Nearly  every  church  in  the  vicinage  has  unconsciously 
written  upon  its  records,  by  letters  missive,  their  own  inter- 
nal troubles  or  pastoral  changes.  Few  pastors  and  churches, 
if  any,  have  proved  truer  friends  to  those  needing  assistance 
and  fraternal  advice.  In  the  time  of  this  one  pastorate,  in 
response  to  invitations  given,  the  church  has  been  repre- 
sented in  two  hundred  and  ninety-nine  councils. 

With  his  change  of  field  from  Albany  to  Boston,  Mr.  Kirk 
adopted  many  new  methods.  The  extemporaneous  style  of 
delivery  was  given  up  for  the  written.  Repeatedly  did  he 
afterwards  regret  his  use  of  the  former,  on  the  ground  that  it 
led  him  into  too  diffuse  a  style ;  yet  upon  the  other  side  it 
must  be  said  that  men  whose  judgment  is  worthy  of  our 
trust  often  urged  him  to  throw  aside  his  written  discourses 
and  be  himself  again  without  the  "  paper  wings."  In  ref- 
erence to  this  vexed  question  as  connected  with  his  ex- 
perience, we  are  painfully  impressed  with  the  fact  that  doc- 
tors disagree.  Suffice  it  to  say,  his  sermons  of  the  greatest 
power  were  never  written. 

One  habit  he  never  changed,  —  he  remained  the  same 
man  of  prayer.  No  theme  was  too  trivial  for  the  divine 
blessing.  "  I  am  more  and  more  convinced,"  he  said,  just  at 
the  close  of  his  active  pastorate,  "  that  my  power,  if  any  I 
have,  has  its  origin  in  this  room  —  in  prayer."  Men  in  trouble 
and  seeking  for  counsel  were  often  struck  with  his  opening 
suggestion  :  "  Let  us  ask  our  Father  about  this  now."  His 
marvelous  power  in  prayer  in  the  pulpit  was  due  to  this 
his  more  than  habit.  Prayer  was  his  life.  The  Lord  Jesus 
was  always  present.  Meeting  some  seeker  after  truth  in  the 
cars,  he  would  reach  forward  and  in  the  tenderest  accents 
seek  the  Father's  blessing.  The  whole  expression  forbade 
any  suggestion  of  affectation  or  mannerism.  Said  one  who 
had  known  him  many  years,  "  Often  have  Dr.  Kirk  and  I 
walked  the  streets  of  Boston,  while  in  his  conversation  he 


180  LIFE   OF   EDWARD  NORMS   KIRK. 

would  remind  me  in  every  word  and  movement  that  the 
Lord  Jesus  was  with  us.  I  used  to  be  often  surprised  ;  but 
now  that  trouble  has  driven  me  to  a  closer  communion,  I 
know,  from  my  own  experience,  that  he  'walked  with  God.'" 

Not  long  before  his  death,  he  remarked  to  one  of  his  peo- 
ple, "  When  I  find,  as  I  do  now  so  often  and  almost  always 
find,  that  I  cannot  pray  with  any  considerable  freedom  ; 
that  I  cannot  count  upon  words  or  even  ideas  ;  that  I  cannot 
be  at  all  sure  of  myself,  knowing  not  what  my  utterances 
shall  be ;  I  begin  to  be  in  doubt  whether  after  all  the  past 
freedom  was  anything  more  than  mere  gift."  It  was  a  gift, 
just  as  his  faith  was,  —  from  God;  and  it  may  be  doubted  if 
many  men  have  ever  made  so  good  use  of  this  among  their 
other  gifts. 

The  testimony  of  one  who  had  sat  under  his  Boston  min- 
istry from  the  very  first  is  to  the  point.  "  I  never  yet  knew 
of  any  phrase,  cant  or  stereotyped,  which  was  peculiar  to 
him."  In  prayer,  as  in  all  his  other  efforts,  the  freshness  of 
his  thought  and  language  was  remarkable.  We  shall  follow 
him  through  scenes  of  intense  activity,  but  we  must  never  for 
a  moment  forget  the  real  source  of  his  strength  and  hope. 
How  his  daily  conduct  in  his  calling  impressed  those  who 
witnessed  it  with  the  truth  that  his  "  life  was  hid  with 
Christ  in  God  "  may  be  seen  in  the  following  letter  from  Dr. 
Edward  Beecher :  — 

"Brooklyn,  November 24,  1876. 

"  My  more  particular  and  personal  acquaintance  with  Mr. 
Kirk  commenced  after  his  settlement  in  Mount  Vernon 
Church  in  Boston.  At  that  time  I  was  the  pastor  of  Salem 
Church,  and  was  brought  into  familiar  acquaintance  with 
him,  in  our  ministerial  meetings  and  in  the  councils  of  the 
churches.  In  addition  to  this,  I  saw  him  in  his  own  family, 
and  in  familiar  interviews  in  his  study.  One  of  these  made 
a  deep  and  lasting  impression  on  my  mind.  It  was  after  his 
installation  over  Mount  Vernon  Church.  In  that  interview 
he  laid  open  his  views  and  feelings  as  to  his  past  life  and 
labors,  and  the  predominance  in  them  of  evangelistic  work ; 


SETTLEMENT  AND  FIRST   YEARS  IN  BOSTON.        181 

and  declared  his  purpose  to  devote  himself  anew  to  a  more 
profound  study  of  the  Bible,  and  of  scientific  and  practical 
theology  and  of  human  society,  to  fit  himself  for  the  dis- 
charge of  his  great  duties  as  a  settled  pastor,  in  so  impor- 
tant a  church,  in  so  commanding  a  centre  of  influence.  I 
could  trace  in  him  no  element  of  self-consciousness,  ambi- 
tion, or  conceit,  but  a  fair  and  discriminating  judgment  of 
the  past,  and  an  earnest  desire  and  firm  purpose  by  the 
grace  of  God  to  prepare  himself  to  the  extent  of  his  abili- 
ties for  the  new  and  immense  responsibilities  imposed  upon 
him.  Nor  was  his  prayerful  purpose  vain.  By  divine  aid 
it  was  carried  into  full  effect.  No  one  can  have  been  with 
him  in  such  interviews  without  being  struck  with  the  near- 
ness of  his  spirit  to  God  and  the  deeply  prayerful  habit  of 
his  mind.  It  was  his  delight  to  open  consultations  with 
prayer;  and  an  aspect  of  simplicity  and  godly  sincerity 
pervaded  his  whole  life.  No  idea  of  management,  or  intrigue, 
or  craft,  or  indirection,  could  arise  in  dealing  with  him,  but 
he  ever  acted  and  spoke  as  in  the  sight  of  God. 

"  It  was  the  habit  of  his  mind  to  grasp  truth  in  practical 
forms.  He  studied  theology  ever  as  a  system  to  be  preached ; 
and  in  preaching,  his  fervid  eloquence  was  simple  and  di- 
rect. He  did  not  involve  himself  in  perplexing  metaphysi- 
cal speculation,  nor  seek  admiration  by  ambitious  rhetoric, 
but  by  manifestation  of  the  truth  commended  himself  to 
every  man's  conscience  in  the  sight  of  God.  The  firmness 
of  his  belief  in  the  inspiration  of  the  Bible  and  his  unwaver- 
ing assurance  of  eternal  things  were  among  the  chief  ele- 
ments of  his  power.  No  man  more  boldly  or  effectively 
than  he  wielded  the  sword  of  the  Spirit  which  is  the  word  of 
God. 

"  Yet  that  his  study  of  systems  was  wide  and  comprehen- 
sive, and  his  knowledge  of  the  lessons  of  history,  and  of  the 
great  laws  of  human  society,  and  of  the  true  modes  of  co- 
operating with  God  in  the  renovation  of  man  was  profound, 
no  one  can  doubt  who  has  studied  his  lectures  on  Revivals." 

The  young  and  accomplished  pastor  was  a  student  of  both 


182  LIFE   OF  EDWAKD  NORMS   KIRK. 

the  word  and  the  works  of  God.  The  changing  seasons 
hinted  to  his  active  mind  parables  without  number.  Every 
tree  and  plant  was  his  recognized  teacher  ;  and  not  a  rivulet 
but  reminded  him  of  his  Father's  care.  From  his  summer 
"  home  "  he  looked  upon  the  sea,  undisturbed  in  the  calm  or 
lashed  into  fury  by  the  tempest.  To  his  poetic  mind  it  was 
the  mirror  of  his  infinite  Father.  The  mournful  roar  of  the 
ceaseless  tides  and  the  hissings  of  the  waters  cut  by  the 
breakers  were  parts  of  a  minor  anthem  he  loved  to  hear. 
Hour  after  hour,  away  from  the  sound  of  every  human  voice, 
he  would  sit  near  some  fragment  of  a  wreck,  or  upon  some 
towering  cliff  watching  the  restless  sea-gulls  in  their  unequal 
flight,  looking  "through  Nature  up  to  Nature's  God."  Like- 
wise the  mountains,  in  their  wild,  lonely  grandeur,  reminded 
him  of  sacred  things,  —  some  C  arm  el  or  Horeb,  some  Pisgah 
or  Tabor ;  and  still  oftener,  the  lonely  Sinai,  overmatched 
by  historic  Calvary.  To  him,  God  was  in  the  tempest,  and 
His  "  the  still  small  voice." 

He  passed  over  the  pavements  of  fashion,  and  down  the 
streets  and  along  the  wharves  of  commerce.  He  learned 
what  men  were  doing.  He  looked  upon  every  weather- 
beaten  sailor  as  an  undubbed  professor  of  geography,  from 
whom  he  might  receive  information.  He  politely  ac- 
costed many  a  farmer  and  gardener  as  one  who  should  add 
to  his  stock  of  information  about  the  cultivation  of  the  soil. 
Tradition  has  written  that  when  Dr.  Emmons  was  informed 
by  his  servant  of  a  stray  cow  that  was  making  havoc  in  his 
corn-field,  he  reproved  the  messenger  for  intruding  upon  his 
study-hours  with  such  a  message  as  that,  and — kept  at  his 
work.  Dr.  Kirk  would  have  attended  to  the  cow,  and 
derived  a  lesson  from  the  aggravating  occurrence.  He  found 
sermons  in  the  stones  of  the  highway  and  the  field.  Every- 
thing in  nature  was  a  commentary  upon  the  revealed  word. 

"  Keep  yourself  informed,"  he  said,  in  later  years,  to  a  stu- 
dent of  theology,  "  upon  every  advance  made  in  scientific 
research,  and  upon  every  new  suggestion  in  philosophy. 
Make  yourself  familiar  with  the  three  great  branches  of  hu- 


SETTLEMENT  AND  FIRST   YEARS   IN  BOSTON.        183 

man  discovery  and  industry,  —  agriculture,  manufactures, 
and  commerce."  It  was  this  knowledge  of  men,  this  breadth 
of  research,  added  to  his  profound  intelligence  and  piety, 
which  gave  Dr.  Kirk  so  strong  a  hold  upon  their  sympathy. 

He  has  been  sometimes  called  illogical  in  the  plan  of  his 
sermons.  We  apprehend  the  criticism  to  be  ill-timed,  yet 
savoring  of  truth.  His  mind  like  his  philosophy  was  in- 
tuitive in  its  workings.  He  possessed  the  quickness  of  per- 
ception usually  accorded  to  the  gentler  sex.  He  saw  the 
many  sides  of  every  subject  and  portrayed  them ;  yet  fre- 
quently the  second  or  following  division  of  the  theme,  while 
logically  in  its  place,  was  not  fully  reasoned  out  from  the 
preceding  thoughts.  His  sermon,  as  a  piece  of  mechanism, 
was  not  a  chain,  but  rather  a  string  of  pearls,  each  pearl  in 
its  exact  place,  —  a  great  doctrine  revealed  by  a  strict  anal- 
ysis of  its  underlying  truths. 

Few  preachers  have  so  continuously  held  congregations  of 
so  various  a  composition.  Men  of  the  acutest  minds  in  Bos- 
ton and  Cambridge  were  in  his  audience  every  Sabbath.  A 
distinguished  professor  in  the  Law  School  at  Harvard  Uni- 
versity walked  many  a  Sabbath  from  and  to  his  home  in 
Cambridge  to  hear  this  "rising  preacher;"  while  the  very 
poorest  and  the  "  wayfaring  "  listened  with  the  same  delight 
to  the  themes  so  simply  and  yet  so  skillfully  handled. 

Steadily  the  Mount  Vernon  Church  and  its  beloved  pas- 
tor advanced  to  a  front  rank  among  the  churches  of  the  city 
and  of  New  England.  Unjust  and  personal  attacks  were 
frequently  made,  sometimes  by  those  calling  themselves 
"liberal,"  and  usually  by  those  from  whom  better  things 
should  have  been  expected  ;  but  all  to  no  purpose. 

Mr.  Kirk's  relations  to  members  of  the  Unitarian  denomi- 
nation were  of  a  most  interesting  and  peculiar  nature.  His 
own  love  for  the  men  while  denouncing  their  doctrines  was 
met  in  their  own  hearts  by  a  similar  response.  Some  of  the 
strongest  personal  friends  of  this  uncompromising  preacher 
were  in  their  ranks. 

The  following  letter  to  the  "  Christian  Register,"  in  1841, 


184  LITE   OF  EDWARD  NORRIS   KIRK. 

speaks  of  an  act  which  in  those  days  produced  a  divided  sen- 
timent, even  as  the  repetition  of  the  same  has  in  later  years 
been  wrongly  construed  :  — 

"Messrs.  Editors, — Not  many  days  since  I  noticed  a  paragraph 
in  the  'Brooklyn  Daily  News'  headed  '  Signs  of  the  Times,'  stating  that 
the  Rev.  Mr.  Kirk  had  lately  preached  before  a  Unitarian  society  in  Bos- 
ton, by  '  request  of  its  pastor.'  A  paragraph  in  the  '  Journal  of  Com- 
merce '  of  New  York  of  Friday  last  also  stated  that  the  Rev.  Mr.  Kirk 
had  lately  preached  to  great  acceptance  before  the  religious  society  under 
charge  of  Rev.  Mr.  Clarke  (Unitarian). 

"Now,  gentlemen,  were  I  in  the  occupancy  of  a  Unitarian  pulpit,  I 
think  that  I  should  not  have  the  slightest  objection  to  any  so-called 
1  Ortbodox '  clergyman  of  '  respectable  standing  '  being  permitted  to 
officiate  in  that  pulpit,  provided  he  recognized  the  congregation  under 
my  charge  as  a  Christian  congregation.  For  the  special  consolation  of 
the  Christian  congregation  worshiping  under  charge  of  the  Rev.  Mr. 
Clarke,  I  beg  to  state  the  following  fact :  A  short  time  since  I  went  to 
the  Rev.  Dr.  Cox's  church  in  this  place  to  listen  to  a  discourse  by  this 
same  Mr.  Kirk  in  behalf  of  an  effort  making  to  establish  a  missionary 
station  in  France.  In  that  discourse  Mr.  Kirk  asked  the  following  ques- 
tion: '  But  what,  after  all,  is  this  boasted  French  nation?  '  And  how 
think  you  he  answered  the  question?  Why  —  by  the  following  insulting 
declaration.  '  It  is  a  nation  of  atheists,  of  infidels,  of  Unitarians,  of 
men  of  the  world  —  indeed  of  any  and  everything  but  Christians.'  Now, 
Mr.  Kirk  either  uttered  these  words  in  the  honest  sincerity  of  his  heart, 
or  he  did  not.  If  he  did  not,  he  knew  well  that  he  uttered  an  atrocious 
calumny  and  falsehood  —  if  he  did,  then  in  consenting  to  address  Mr. 
Clarke's  congregation,  knowing  as  he  must  have  known,  that  they 
claimed  to  be  a  Christian  congregation,  and  that  neither  they  nor  their 
pastor  probably  had  a  doubt  that  he  so  regarded  them,  or  that  otherwise 
he  would  not  have  been  suffered  to  occupy  their  pulpit,  he  played  the 
part  of  a  consummate  hypocrite.  What  more  disgraceful,  than  for  a 
clergyman  to  visit  a  place  where  he  knew  that  the  prejudices  against 
Unitarians  were  of  the  bitterest  kind,  and  by  a  declaration  like  that 
above  quoted,  knowingly  add  to  and  strengthen  those  prejudices,  and 
then  return  again  to  Boston,  where  he  knew  that  an  entirely  different 
state  of  feeling  prevailed,  and  accept  an  invitation  to  preach  in  the  pulpit 
of  a  clergyman,  whom,  and  whose  congregation,  he  had  just  before, 
when  at  a  distance,  virtually  denounced  as  '  any  and  everything  but 
Christians.' 

"  Hereafter,  unless  Mr.  Kirk  should  fully  and  unequivocally  retract 
the  gross  slander  he  has  uttered  against  Unitarians,  it  is  to  be  hoped 
that  no  pastor  or  congregation  of  that  denomination  will  be  found  so  far 


SETTLEMENT  AND   FIRST   TEAES   IN  BOSTON.        185 

wanting  in  self-respect,  or  in  respect  for  the  faith  they  profess,  as  to 
suffer  him  again  to  enter  their  pulpit. 
"Brooklyn,  L.  I.,  April  5." 

Because  of  this  act  and  of  the  letter,  the  editor  of  the 
"Register,"  knowing  whereof  he  affirmed,  thus  replied,  in 
part :  — 

"Suppose  Mr.  Kirk,  in  the  plenitude  of  his  infallible  knowledge  of 
God's  truth,  has  decided  that  Unitarians  are  not  to  be  regarded  as  Chris- 
tians, and  ought  to  be  classed  with  infidels  and  atheists,  this  is  no  reason 
why  he  should  not  preach  to  them,  if  he  is  invited,  and  his  engagements 
permit;  but,  on  the  contrary,  a  strong  reason  why  he  should.  He  may 
denounce  them  in  New  York,  and  yet  preach  to  them  in  Boston,  without 
exposing  himself  to  the  charge  of  inconsistency  or  hypocrisy.  Our  cor- 
respondent, we  presume,  will  acknowledge  this,  when  he  understands  the 
circumstances  under  which  Mr.  Kirk  preached  for  the  Rev.  Mr.  Clarke. 
They  were  on  this  wise,  as  we  have  been  informed,  and  we  have  the 
more  pleasure  in  stating  them,  because  they  show  that,  however  false 
Mr.  Kirk's  position  with  regard  to  Unitarians,  he  maintains  that  position 
frankly  and  openly.  He  and  Mr.  Clarke  were  introduced  to  each  other 
at  a  social  meeting  at  the  house  of  a  common  friend.  After  some  gen- 
eral conversation,  Mr.  Clarke  invited  Mr.  Kirk  to  preach  for  him,  and 
said  he  should  be  pleased  to  have  him.  Mr.  Kirk  in  reply  alluded  to  his 
numerous  engagements,  and  the  difficulty  of  finding  a  time  when  he  was 
at  liberty.  After  this  point  was  settled,  Mr.  Kirk  expressed  some  sur- 
prise at  the  invitation,  and  gave  Mr.  Clarke  to  understand  that  he  could 
not  regard  him  as  a  Christian  minister,  and  that  if  he  had  pastoral  charge 
of  a  pulpit  in  Boston  he  could  not  receive  him  into  it,  and  that  if  he 
preached  for  him,  he  should  go  to  preach  truth  where  he  felt  that  error 
was  commonly  preached.  To  which  Mr.  Clarke  replied,  '  That  is  of  no 
consequence;  it  only  proves  that  I  can  do  more  than  you  can.  You  can- 
not ask  me  to  preach  for  you;  I  can  ask  you  to  preach  for  me.'  This, 
we  have  been  informed  on  good  authority,  is  in  its  general  features  a 
correct  account  of  the  circumstances  under  which  Mr.  Kirk  preached 
before  the  society  worshiping  in  Amory  Hall.  And  surely,  if  he  was 
thus  explicit  with  Mr.  Clarke,  he  is  by  no  means  obnoxious  to  the  charge 
of  hypocrisy  or  inconsistency.  Some  difference  of  opinion  may  exist  as 
to  Mr.  Clarke's  course.  Some  may  think  he  was  wanting  in  a  just  self- 
respect  in  pressing  the  matter,  after  Mr.  Kirk's  explicit  avowal  that  he 
should  not  i-eceive  him  into  his  pulpit,  had  he  one  under  his  charge. 
Others  may  behold  in  this  only  a  noble  example  of  an  enlarged  Chris- 
tian charity.  But  no  one  can  deny,  it  seems  to  us,  that  Mr.  Kirk  acted 
openly  and  honorably  in  the  case.  The  whole  thing  is  by  no  means  so 
important  as  our  correspondent  at  a  distance  seems  to  regard  it,  nor  will 


186  LIFE   OF  EDWARD  NORRIS   KIRK. 

it  be  followed  by  any  important  practical  results.  It  will  not  break 
down,  or  undermine,  or  shake  a  hair's  breath,  the  wall  of  separation  be- 
tween Unitarian  and  Orthodox  Christians.  It  is  only  what  has  occurred 
many  times  before.  Orthodox  clergymen  have  always  been  ready  to 
stand  in  Unitarian  pulpits  when  invited,  though  they  have  been  and  are 
unwilling  to  invite  Unitarian  ministers  into  theirs.  If  any  Unitarians 
choose  to  invite  them  on  these  terms,  let  them  do  it." 

It  is  needless  to  say  that,  notwithstanding  the  persistent 
private  discussions  of  these  two  men,  a  cordial  friendship 
always  existed  between  them. 

In  the  paper  subjoined,  a  perplexing  question  and  its 
answer,  bearing  upon  this  point  of  theological  differences, 
are  tersely  described.  The  paper  was  given  more  than  a 
quarter  of  a  century  after  the  event  narrated  in  it,  conse- 
quently it  expresses  Dr.  Kirk's  theological  position  at  the 
last. 

"When  Dr.  Channing  died,  a  member  of  his  church  proposed  this 
dilemma  to  me:  Has  Dr.  C.  gone  to  heaven  or  to  hell ?  It  was  a  fair 
question,  but  one  of  those  which  do  not  disclose  the  motives  of  the  in- 
quirer, and  which  cannot  be  safely  answered  without  reference  to  the 
possibility  of  an  unfriendly  intention.  Many  of  the  inquiries  proposed  to 
the  Saviour,  apparently  natural  and  honest  in  purpose,  were  really  mere 
traps.  The  inquirer  saw  but  two  answers,  one  of  which  would  probably 
be  given;  either  of  which  would  serve  not  to  enlighten  him  but  to  dam- 
age the  respondent.  I  know  not  to  this  day  the  motive  of  the  inquirer, 
but  saw  at  once  the  danger  of  my  position.  He  had  proposed  an  inquiry, 
which  he  knew  I  could  no  more  answer  than  he,  but  which  consistency 
might  require  me  to  answer  in  one  way,  or  policy  in  another.  If  I  had 
said,  '  He  has  gone  to  hell,'  that  would  best  have  suited  the  inquirer  if 
he  were  malignant  in  his  purpose.  If  I  had  replied,  '  He  has  gone  to 
heaven,'  it  is  obvious  that  I  might  as  well  have  said  (what  I  do  not  be- 
lieve) that  it  makes  no  difference  in  our  future  condition  whether  we 
love,  trust,  obey  Jesus  Christ  as  merely  an  eminent  man,  or  as  God  and 
man.  The  answer  I  gave  him  contains  an  essential  principle  for  us  who 
are  in  the  midst  of  a  people  whom  we  respect  and  love  for  their  many 
excellent  qualities  ;  to  disagree  with  whom  is  to  oppose  them  —  is  a  con- 
stant source  of  pain;  who  require  us  to  keep  our  religious  convictions 
out  of  their  sight  in  all  our  intercourse  with  them;  to  see  them  even  in- 
tensely hostile  to  the  claims  of  our  dearest  friend;  to  see  them  look  with 
contempt  on  truths  which  are  the  rock  of  our  salvation,  —  without  which 
eternity  to  us  is  a  horrid  eclipse  ;  and  yet  they  exercise  only  superficial 


SETTLEMENT   AND   FIRST   YEARS  IN  BOSTON.        187 

feelings  of  our  own  social  nature;  and  make  all  their  intercourse  with  us 
entirely  agreeable. 

"  The  reply  was  this  :  '  God  did  not  send  me  here  to  judge  any  man, 
or  to  fix  his  eternal  destiny.  But  I  have  come  with  clear  and  fixed  con- 
victions. I  believe  something,  and  the  opposite  of  that  something  is  to  me 
error,  not  truth.  I  believe  that  charity  and  bigotry  do  not  pertain  to 
the  intellect,  but  the  heart.  I  believe  in  the  right  of  every  human  being 
to  adopt  the  system  which  he  thinks  to  be  true,  accountable  not  to  men 
but  to  God.  Dr.  C.  believed  in  that  right,  and  exercised  it.  He  was 
not  a  bigot;  he  was  not  uncharitable;  but  he  believed  that  Unitarianism 
was  Christianity.  In  the  exercise  of  the  same  right,  I  believe  that  it  is 
an  enemy  of  Christianity.  I  have  a  right  to  judge  creeds  but  not  men. 
I  hope  most  earnestly  to  meet  Dr.  C.  in  heaven,  but  I  believe  it  must  be 
by  some  way  other  than  that  which  he  taught.' 

"  Riding  in  a  stage-coach  with  a  Unitarian  minister,  he  denounced  us 
(the  Orthodox)  as  bigoted.  '  What  do  you  mean  by  bigotry  ?  '  'It  is 
the  rejection  of  sincere  men  from  your  fraternity.'  '  But  you  reject  the 
truth,  and  we  have  apostolic  example  for  some  severity  in  opposing 
those  who  teach  men  false  religion:  the  inspired  Apostle  says,  '  Though 
we  or  an  angel  from  heaven  preach  any  other  doctrine  (Heterodoxy)  let 
him  be  accursed ! '  '  But  we  are  as  sincere  in  our  belief  as  you  are  in 
yours.'  We  were  just  then  passing  a  saw-mill.  I  observed,  '  Suppose 
that  miller  had  attended  a  lecture  last  night,  and  that,  with  varied  argu- 
ment and  much  learning,  the  lecturer  had  proved  that,  as  the  back  of  a 
saw  would  cut  as  well  as  the  edge,  economy  required  that  its  position  in 
sawing  should  be  reversed.  The  man  is  convinced  and  comes  to  his  mill 
this  morning,  sincerely  acting  out  his  conviction.  Would  his  sincerity 
ever  cut  the  log  in  two?  '  The  bit  brought  a  laugh  from  the  whole  com- 
pany. '  Oh,'  he  replied,  '  ridicule  is  n't  argument.'  But  I  used  no  ridi- 
cule. I  simply  used  an  illustration,  —  an  appeal  to  common  sense.  The 
Chinese  sincerely  believe  it  is  right  to  bandage  the  feet  of  their  children, 
but  that  does  not  make  it  right  nor  best  to  do  it.  You  must  admit  that 
some  errors  are  poisonous  to  the  soul;  you  may  be  sincere  in  believing 
the  doctrines  and  in  preaching  them.  We  do  not  impeach  your  sincerity, 
but  oppose  them  as  hurtful  to  the  people." 


CHAPTER  X. 

THE  EVANGELICAL  ALLIANCE. 
1846. 

The  ordinary  life  even  of  extraordinary  men  is  monoto- 
nous. Only  he  who  is  faithful  in  the  things  which  are  least, 
will  be  successful  in  the  things  which  are  greatest.  As  a 
rule,  the  routine  of  daily  attention  to  the  details  of  duty  ab- 
sorbs the  time  of  the  greatest  as  well  as  of  the  humblest 
men. 

This  is  especially  true  of  the  life  of  the  American  clergy- 
man. Week  after  week  the  preparations  for  the  coming 
Sabbath  engage  his  profoundest  attention.  Visits  to  the 
sick,  services  in  the  house  of  mourning,  with  the  thousand 
other  duties,  consume  all  his  spare  time.  The  minister,  more 
than  other  men,  knows  not  what  a  day  may  bring  forth  ; 
knows  not  whom  the  day  will  bring  into  his  study.  As  a 
rule,  his  callers  rejoice  to  test  his  faith  in  the  promise,  "  it  is 
more  blessed  to  give  than  to  receive."  He  gives,  and  they 
find  it  very  much  to  their  satisfaction  to  receive. 

Dr.  Kirk  knew  no  exemption  from  these  every-day  bur- 
dens of  a  minister's  life,  and  he  sought  none.  These  pages, 
however,  are  not  to  chronicle  the  private  and  silent  triumphs 
of  a  life  like  his,  but  must  take  account"  mainly  of  those 
events  which  have  a  more  public  bearing. 

In  1846  a  great  "  Ecumenical  Council  of  the  Protestant 
Churches "  was  announced  to  be  held  on  the  19th  of  Au- 
gust, in  London.  The  origin  of  what  was  then  and  there 
organized,  now  known  as  the  "  Evangelical  Alliance,"  is 
briefly   told.      For   many   years   the   impression   had   been 


THE   EVANGELICAL  ALLIANCE.  189 

steadily  gaining  ground,  both  in  Europe  and  America,  that 
a  union  of  all  Protestant  churches  was  imperatively  needed, 
as  an  expression  of  their  mutual  sympathies.  The  first  pre- 
paratory meeting  had  been  held  a  few  years  before  in  Liver- 
pool. Most  of  the  morning  in  this  first  meeting  was  spent 
in  reading  the  Scriptures  and  in  prayer.  Six  conferences 
were  held,  presided  over  by  John  Angell  James,  Bickersteth, 
and  men  of  the  like  spirit.  From  these  preparatory  gather- 
ings came  the  call  for  the  "  World's  Convention." 

The  Mount  Vernon  Church  responded  to  the  call  by  ap- 
pointing as  delegates  their  pastor  and  Deacon  Daniel  Safford. 

They  sailed  from  home  May  2d,  carrying  with  them  the 
ardent  love  and  the  fervent  prayers  of  their  brethren.  We 
quote  from  the  diary  and  letters  of  this  period  :  — 

"  At  Sea,  Steamship  Caledonia,  Monday,  May  4,  1846. 

"  Yesterday  at  Halifax  I  attended  the  service  in  the  kirk.  It  was  too 
late  for  the  sermon  but  not  for  the  administration  of  the  Lord's  Supper. 
By  reason  of  the  exclusive  system  of  that  church,  I  was  not  permitted  to 
unite  with  my  brethren  in  celebrating  the  death  of  Christ.  But  I  found 
it  very  sweet  to  hear  the  hymns,  the  prayers,  and  exhortations.  It  is  a 
great  privilege,  to  one  who  generally  is  obliged  to  lead  the  devotional  ex- 
ercises of  others,  sometimes  to  follow.  I  was  peculiarly  impressed  with 
the  singing.  The  hymns  were  the  Scripture  paraphrases,  and  the  tunes 
were  those  with  which  I  heard  the  praises  of  God  during  my  childhood. 
I  formed  a  hasty  impression,  which  I  am  not  now  well  enough  to  examine, 
but  which  I  would  record.  It  is,  that  we  have  lost  in  our  sacred  lyrics 
by  not  adhering  more  closely  to  the  scriptural  aspects  of  subjects,  and 
in  our  sacred  music  by  not  preserving  the  simplicity  and  commonness  of 
our  tunes. 

"  The  tedium  of  sea-life  tries  new  characters  very  effectually  in  some 
respects.  It  peculiarly  developes  the  appetite  for  cigars,  spirits,  and 
gaming.  I  have  before  heard  the  acknowledgment,  and  now  hear  it  re- 
peated that  we  are  not  on  shore  what,  at  sea,  we  appear  to  be.  Oh!  the 
weariness  of  the  sea  to  a  nervous  man!  The  inability  to  read  or  think, 
the  monotony  of  the  employments  and  amusements,  the  increased  loath- 
ing of  the  food  from  its  increased  unsavoriness,  the  inability  to  sleep 
soundly,  all  these  are  items  to  be  weighed  by  him  who  seeks  the  bene- 
fits of  being  across  the  sea  by  going  across  it.  I  was  prevented  from 
preaching  on  the  first  Sabbath  by  the  confusion  connected  with  landing 
at  Halifax  and  getting  again  to  sea.    On  the  second  Sabbath,  I  preached 


190  LIFE   OF  EDWARD   NORRIS   KIRK. 

to  a  respectful  audience  from  the  delightful  story  of  Bartimeus.     The 
greater  part  of  the  passengers  and  officers,  as  well  as  many  of  the  crew, 

were  present 

"  London,  May  14th. —  We  are  in  London  on  the  thirteenth  day  after 
leaving  Boston,  having  traveled  more  than  twenty-nine  hundred  miles 
by  steam,  over  water;  and'  more  than  two  hundred  by  steam,  over 
land.  For  the  thousandth  time  let  it  be  said,  wonderful  power  produced 
by  means  so  simple  !  "We  arrived  too  late  to  attend  the  most  interesting 
meetings  of  the  religious  societies,  and  also  too  late  to  hear  the  close  of 
the  debate  in  the  House  of  Commons  upon  the  Corn  Laws." 

"  London,  May  15,  1846. 

"My  dear  Mother. —  We  are  here  quietly  settled  down,  by  God's 
hand  kindly  guiding  us.  Our  voyage  was  favorable,  and  as  comfortable 
as  that  unnatural  mode  of  life  can  well  be.  We  landed  on  tbe  wharf 
in  Liverpool  on  Thursday  morning,  after  an  early  breakfast,  and  took 
the  railway  cars  immediately  for  London.  We  wrote  you  a  few  lines 
from  Halifax,  which  we  trust  you  received.  Tbe  company  was  mixed, 
as  usual;  a  part  of  them  quite  agreeable.  Among  the  others  were  some 
Quakers,  wbom  we  have  learned  highly  to  esteem;  one  of  them  being  an 
old  acquaintance  of  mine  in  Paris. 

"  I  preached  on  Sunday  last,  but  the  ship  rolled  so  greatly  as  to  pre- 
vent me  from  standing  up  to  deliver  my  discourse,  and  my  brain  was  too 
much  addled  to  admit  of  making  an  extemporaneous  sermon,  which 
would  have  been  more  consonant  to  the  occasion  than  reading. 

"  A  kind  and  intelligent  Irish  physician  very  cordially  invited  me  to 
visit  him  in  the  north  of  Ireland.  I  should  be  greatly  gratified  to  com- 
ply, if  we  can  so  arrange  our  movements.  His  remarks  on  British  and 
Irish  political  and  ecclesiastical  affairs  I  found  to  be  very  instructive. 

"  There  was  the  greatest  amount  of  cigar-smoking  I  ever  saw.  The 
use  of  wines  and  spirituous  liquors  was  very  free.  I  find  many  indica- 
tions that  the  temperance  reformation  is  not  advancing. 

"  We  hastened  to  London,  in  order  to  inform  ourselves  of  the  possi- 
bility of  reaching  Jerusalem  and  returning  to  London  in  time  for  the 
great  meeting  in  August.  We  have  now,  though  reluctantly,  abandoned 
the  hope  of  accomplishing  it.  The  reasons  are,  mainly,  the  danger  of  a 
summer  journey;  the  necessity  of  too  great  haste;  the  possibility  of  fail- 
ing of  one  chief  object  of  the  journey  to  Europe,  an  attendance  at  the 
August  convention  ;  and  our  aversion  to  commencing  a  sea-life  imme- 
diately after  having  survived  one  sufficiently  disagreeable.  Our  pres- 
ent plan  is,  therefore,  to  spend  the  next  week  in  London,  attend  the 
General  Assembly  of  the  Free  Church  of  Scotland  the  ensuing  week, 
and  then  shape  our  course  by  circumstances. 

"  I  called  this  morning  on  my  old  friend  Challis,  who  has  been  made 


THE   EVANGELICAL   ALLIANCE.  191 

one  of  the  aldermen  of  London.  He  is  deeply  immersed  in  public  affairs, 
but  seems  as  much  devoted  to  the  cause  of  Christ  as  ever.  You  may  re- 
member that  he  treated  me  with  great  kindness,  entertaining  me  so 
long  under  his  hospitable  roof,  and  offering  me  every  inducement  to  re- 
main with  him  and  the  Spa  Fields  Chapel.  He  introduced  Mr.  Safford 
and  myself  to  the  Union  of  Congregational  Ministers.  I  was  cordially 
welcomed  as  an  old  friend  to  many  of  them.  They  had.  a  fine  spirit  and 
some  interesting  discussions.  I  can  see  great  progress  already.  They 
are  improving  the  whole  system  of  their  operations,  and  taking  more 
fully  their  right  position  as  a  portion  of  the  great  Church  of  Jesus  Christ. 
Heretofore  they  have  allowed  themselves  to  be  kept  too  much  in  the 
background  by  the  overshadowing  of  the  Establishment. 

"  Saturday  evening.  —  I  find  many  changes  here  in  seven  years.  Deaths 
and  marriages  have  made  London  appear  to  me  very  different  from 
itself  in  1839.  I  have  just  received  very  kind  letters  from  Mr.  Challis's 
two  eldest  daughters,  who  were  lovely  young  ladies  when  I  domiciled 
under  their  father's  roof,  but  are  now  at  the  head  of  their  own  fami- 
lies. 

"I  have  agreed  to  preach  for  Mr.  Sherman,  of  Surrey  Chapel,  to- 
morrow evening.  In  the  morning  I  hope  to  hear  the  Rev.  Baptist  Noel. 
Mr.  Safford  and  myself  have  spent  the  day  in  sight-seeing.  He  begins 
to  discover  that  London  is  an  immense  city,  and  contains  a  great  many 
wonderful  things.  He  will  describe  what  he  has  seen,  in  his  own  fresh- 
ness of  feeling,  and  you  will  enjoy  the  narration  more  than  if  I  put  it  down 
with  a  more  subdued  tone  of  admiration.  We  closed  the  rambles  of 
the  day  by  stationing  ourselves  at  Hyde  Park,  where  the  queen  passed  us 
in  her  coach  with  six  horses  and  three  outriders.  Prince  Albert,  as 
usual,  was  at  her  side.  I  saw  only  a  part  of  her  face,  as  she  happened 
to  be  looking  in  the  direction  away  from  me. 

"  I  find  that  I  am  an  older  man  than  when  I  was  here  before.  The 
keenness  of  curiosity  is  greatly  diminished ;  and  the  emptiness  of  earthly 
greatness  is  more  apparent.  I  bless  God  more  earnestly  than  ever  for 
the  degree  of  evidence  I  possess  of  being  his  child,  and  for  the  priv- 
ilege of  preaching  his  gospel.  I  feel  much  happiness  in  the  prospect 
of  returning  to  minister  to  that  beloved  people  among  whom  God  has  cast 
my  lot;  and  while  I  am  conscious  of  needing  the  relaxation  I  now  enjoy, 
yet  the  prospect  of  resuming  my  labors  is  very  agreeable  to  me. 

"  I  trust  that  you  will  be  kept  in  perfect  health  and  peace  during  my 
absence.     I  commend  you   all   to   our   kind    and   almighty  Benefactor, 
for  the  life  that  is,  and  for  that  which  is  to  come. 
"  Much  love  to  the  household. 

"  Your  affectionate  son, 

"Edward." 


192  LIFE  OF  EDWARD  NORRIS   KIRK. 

"Edinburgh,  May  25,  1846. 

"  My  dear  Sister,  —  I  now  write  to  you  from  the  most  beautiful  city 
in  Europe  except  Constantinople.  I  doubt  if  our  excellent  father  ever 
saw  this  capital  of  his  native  land,  as  he  left  his  home  when  quite  a 
youth;  and  if  he  had,  he  would  now  scarcely  recognize  it  as  the  same. 
True,  the  old  town  remains  with  many  of  its  rugged  features,  but 
when  viewed  in  connection  with  the  new  city,  they  only  add  to  the  pict- 
uresque beauty  of  the  whole.  The  charm  of  this  city  is  in  its  position 
and  its  buildings  and  streets.  When  you  get  on  one  of  its  eminences,  you 
look  out  upon  the  beautiful  Bay  or  Frith  of  Forth,  the  bold  Bass  Rock 
standing  alone  in  the  sea,  the  rugged  Arthur's  Seat,  the  Pen'tland  Hills, 
and  many  other  ranges  stretching  around  on  every  side.  Many  of  the 
streets  are  wide  and  beautiful,  and  the  local  objects  of  interest  are  very 
many.  Among  them  is  Holyrood  House,  the  residence  of  Scotland's  kings 
from  the  time  of  David  I.  in  the  twelfth  century.  On  the  other  side  is  Ed- 
inburgh Castle,  once  an  impregnable  fortress.  John  Knox's  house  and 
other  antiquities  are  shown.  But  the  modern  monuments  are  all  beauti- 
ful; none  of  them,  however,  grand.  Walter  Scott's  monument  is  espe- 
cially beautiful,  although  not  quite  finished.  We  arrived  here  on  Sat- 
urday noon  in  twenty-eight  hours  from  London,  a  distance  of  four  hun- 
dred and  thirty  miles.  We  went  directly  to  the  General  Assembly  of 
the  Free  Church,  but  heard  nothing  of  interest.  We  then  strolled  off 
to  the  extremity  of  the  city  to  find  Mr.  B.,  but  he  had  gone  out  of  town 
to  preach.  I  saw  him  to-day  at  a  distance;  but  he  has  not  yet  called 
upon  me.  I  am  disappointed  in  not  hearing  Dr.  Chalmers.  But  he  is 
failing  and  retiring  from  public  life.  We  heard  three  good  sermons  from 
the  Free  Church  ministers  yesterday.  One  of  them,  I  think,  was  in  the 
first  deputation.  His  name,  I  believe,  is  Somerville.  We  went  this 
morning  to  the  Assembly  of  the  Kirk,  or  Established  Church.  They 
met  in  a  beautiful  building  recently  erected  for  them.  There  sits  the 
lord  high  commissioner  in  court-dress,  with  the  golden  mace  as  an  in- 
dication of  his  acting  by  the  authority  of  her  majesty.  I  was  happy 
to  hear  them  discussing  with  some  zeal  the  subject  of  Foreign  Missions, 
and  to  hear  them  speak  with  much  courtesy  and  affection  of  the  Free 
Church! 

"  The  Sabbath  I  spent  in  London  was  divided  between  two  public 
services.  In  the  morning,  I  went  to  hear  Baptist  Noel.  After  the 
service  I  followed  him  to  his  vestry,  and  introducing  myself,  begged  the 
favor  of  an  interview.  He  promptly  invited  me  to  dine  with  him  on 
Monday.  This  was  more  than  I  could  have  expected  without  a  shadow 
of  recommendation  to  him.  He  resides  about  four  miles  from  town,  in  one 
of  those  beautiful  villas  with  which  England  abounds.  He  has  no  prop- 
erty in  his  own  right,  being  the  brother  of  a  wealthy  lord  who  inherits 
the  family  estates.     But  his  title  of  Honorable  comes  from  his  connee- 


THE   EVANGELICAL  ALLIANCE.  193 

tion  with  the  nobility.  He  has,  however,  an  infinitely  higher  title.  He 
is  a  faithful  disciple  and  minister  of  Christ.  He  stands  like  a  pillar 
against  the  seductions  of  his  social  and  ecclesiastical  position.  He  is  the 
most  liberal  Episcopalian  I  have  met.  My  desire  to  see  him  was  chiefly 
to  ascertain  how  the  good  ministers  of  his  church  regard  the  Evangeli- 
cal Alliance.  You  will  find  the  result  of  my  conversation  with  him  in 
a  letter  to  the  "Family  Visitor,"  which  is  sent  to  me  every  Thursday. 
His  wife  was  a  lady  of  fortune,  and  thus  he  is  enabled  to  live  in  very 
good  style  and  to  preach  independently  of  his  bishop.  Our  afternoon 
and  evening  passed  very  agreeably,  there  being  another  clergyman,  his 
brother,  his  lovely  children,  and  several  intelligent  women  there.  At 
family  prayer,  seven  domestics  were  present,  of  whom  he  entertains  the 
hope  that  all  are  pious.  He  gave  me  the  Bible,  and  requested  me  to 
read  and  comment  on  the  passage.  He  is,  indeed,  a  fine  specimen  of 
true  piety. 

"My  arrival  in  London  was  so  unexpected  that  my  friends  were  ut- 
terly unprepared  to  receive  me ;  and  I  assure  you  it  seemed  strange  to 
me  to  be  in  London  and  not  welcomed  by  a  multitude  of  friends.  But 
before  I  left  them,  the  old  importunities  were  coming  upon  me.  The 
Challis  family  retain  all  their  kind  feelings.  It  was  strange  to  me  to 
find  the  three  elder  daughters  at  the  head  of  their  respective  families. 
We  dined  together  at  the  house  of  one  of  them  on  Wednesday  last,  with 
the  parents.  I  stayed  at  the  same  house  that  night.  In  the  morning  we 
rode  out  eleven  miles,  to  the  beautiful  residence  of  Mr.  Challis.  His 
is  a  still  more  charming  place  than  Mr.  Noel's.  I  am  enjoying  my 
tour ;  but  shall  be  happy  when  the  day  comes  for  my  return  to  a  country 
and  a  people  growing  perpetually  dearer  to  me.  When  you  shall  be 
reading  this,  I  shall  probably  be  roaming  on  the  Continent;  for  we  ex- 
pect to  see  Paris  in  about  ten  days.  We  may  go  hunting  for  the  Kirks 
in  Kirkcudbright.     Kind  remembrance  to  all. 

"  Your  affectionate  brother, 

"  Edward." 

At  Edinburgh  the  two  friends  separated  for  a  season,  Mr. 
Safford  to  go  by  Glasgow  and  Liverpool,  and  his  pastor  by 
Dumfries,  to  meet  in  Manchester.  Mr.  Kirk  went  down  to 
Kirkcudbright  to  search  for  his  deceased  father's  relatives. 
But  the  time  was  too  short  to  enable  him  to  find  their  pre- 
cise localities.  Mrs.  Carson,  the  innkeeper  of  Kirkcud- 
bright, took  his  address,  and  promised  to  make  inquiries, 
and  inform  him  about  them  should  she  be  successful.  We 
return  to  his  journal :  — 

13 


194  LIFE   OF  EDWARD   NORRIS   KIRK. 

"  Saturday,  May  30th.  — I  arrived  in  Manchester  at  10  o'clock  P.  M., 
and  Mr.  Safford  was  not  waiting  for  me  at  the  cars  as  I  anticipated  he 
would  be.  My  situation  was  far  from  comfortable.  I  could  not  know 
that  he  had  reached  Manchester;  and  if  he  had,  and,  by  some  misunder- 
standing, should  be  searching  for  me  at  some  other  depot,  I  knew  not 
what  anxieties  he  might  entertain  in  regard  to  me.  But  this  I  must  com- 
mit to  the  care  of  Him  who  has  said,  '  Cast  your  care  upon  Him,  for  He 
careth  for  you.' 

"  Sunday,  May  31s/.  —  I  considered  it  my  duty  go  out  this  morning  and 
search  for  Mr.  Thornton,  on  whom  Mr.  Safford  had  probably  called  if  he 
had  come  to  M.  But  unfortunately  the  directory  gives  Mr.  Thornton's 
residence  at  Withington ;  and  Withington  is  a  district  of  many  miles 
square.  After  sftme  fruitless  searches  and  inquiries,  I  abandoned  it,  and 
went  to  church  in  a  very  uncomfortable  mood.  Heard  a  discourse  from 
the  Rev.  Dr.  H.,  of  the  Independent  Church.  It  was  a  plain  practical 
address,  without  much  method,  depth,  or  style.  The  elocution  was  utterly 
contrary  to  nature.  But  the  subject  was  appropriate  to  Whitsun  week,  a 
British  holiday,  when  temptations  to  vice  are  magnified  and  multiplied. 
How  strong  is  Satan's  hold  of  the  world!  The  festivals  of  the  church  are 
the  occasions  when  custom  sanctions  extraordinary  wickedness.  His  text 
was  from  Mark  xiv.  38:  Watch  and  pray,  etc.  His  exegesis  was  —  We 
must  not  enter  into  temptation  voluntarily,  because  we  are  prone  to  sin. 
His  arrangement  was,  (1)  an  explanation  of  temptation;  (2)  a  consid- 
eration of  avoiding  it  in  consequence  of  the  weakness  of  the  flesh.  The 
sermon  did  not  seize  the  mind  strongly  at  any  point,  because  the  preacher 
had  not  strongly  grasped  the  subject.  His  sermon  was  delivered  without, 
I  think,  even  a  brief.  But  I  am  sure  he  who  preaches  without  a  written 
preparation  ought  not  to  venture  (if  he  is  not  compelled  for  want  of  time) 
to  deliver  a  discourse  until  his  soul  has  seen  every  prominent  point  of  the 
subject  with  an  eagle-gaze,  and  glowed  with  the  kindlings  of  its  heat,  — 
until  he  is  impatient  to  pour  out  his  expanded  heart  and  share  the  de- 
lightful and  profitable  excitement  with  others.  The  preacher  gave  an 
interpretation  which  had  not  occurred  to  me  before,  —  '  The  spirit  is 
willing,'  he  made  to  mean  the  spirit  is  presumptuous,  willing  to  enter 
the  conflict,  because  unconscious  of  its  danger.  '  Willing '  then  would 
mean,  ready  to  meet  the  trial;  and  the  scope  of  our  Lord's  injunction 
would  be,  that  we  must  watch  and  pray  after  temptation,  instead  of 
being  willing  to  enter  it.  This  the  preacher  reconciled  with  James's 
exhortation  to  'rejoice  when  we  fall  into  many  temptations,'  by  making 
the  one  mean  trials  of  patience  and  faith;  the  other,  allurements  to 
wickedness. 

"I  had  gone  so  far  in  my  record,  when,  to  my  surprise,  Mr.  Safford 
was  announced.  God  was  kind  thus  to  relieve  me  from  anxiety,  and 
give  me,  without  seeking,  what  I  had  so  earnestly  sought  in  vain.     And 


THE  EVANGELICAL  ALLIANCE.  195 

then  Mr.  Safford  announced  the  reception  of  letters  from  Boston.  This 
turned  all  my  sorrow  into  laughter,  until  we  came  to  read  the  letters ; 
then  we  wept  for  very  gratitude  and  joy  at  the  exhibition  of  God's  good- 
ness to  us  and  to  those  we  love.  We  shall  devote  to-morrow  to  letter- 
writing.  That  will  make  it  a  delightful  day  to  us,  if  our  Father  will. 
The  subject  of  the  morning's  sermon  has  been  unfolding  itself  to  my 
view,  so  that  I  may  make  several  discourses  upon  it." 

The  journey  to  Paris,  made  by  the  two  devoted  compan- 
ions, and  the  deep  enthusiasm  inspired  in  Mr.  Kirk  by  the 
memories. of  his  sojourn  there  eight  years  before,  need  no 
description  here.  Brussels,  Antwerp,  and  Cologne  were  vis- 
ited, and  awakened  the  greatest  interest  in  the  two  reflective 
minds.  From  Cologne  to  Bonn,  and  thence  to  Mannheim, 
up  the  Rhine !  And  on  yet  farther,  to  Geneva  and  the 
Alps ;  then  back  again  to  Paris. 

The  most  lasting  impressions  gained  in  this  tour  are  thus 
recorded  in  the  following  letters,  the  first  to  his  parishioner 
and  friend,  Mr.  E.  S.  Tobey,  and  the  second  to  his  niece, 
now  Mrs.  Keep,  of  Lockport,  New  York :  — 

"  Paris,  June  13,  1846. 

"My  dear  Friend, — You  desired  a  recognition  from  me  in  this 
distant  land.  Your  request  is  not  forgotten,  and  I  am  happy  in  assuring 
myself  that  your  friendly  feelings  will  attach  some  interest  to  my  saluta- 
tion. The  rapidity  with  which  I  pass  from  place  to  place  hinders  me 
from  coming  in  such  contact  with  the  most  interesting  personages  as  would 
at  once  gratify  me,  and  enable  me  most  fully  to  interest  and  inform  my 
friends  at  home.  I  find  France  greatly  advanced  in  some  respects,  since 
my  former  visit. 

"  The  pacific  reign  of  Louis  Philippe  has  greatly  developed  the  resources 
of  an  almost  exhausted  territory.  The  fine  arts  have  been  greatly 
patronized.  The  palaces  of  the  royal  family,  and  the  residences  of  the 
wealthy,  are  growing  in  splendor.  Railroads  are  increasing  travel  and 
giving  a  new  spring  to  commerce.  But,  at  the  same  time,  the  military 
spirit  and  the  spirit  of  Romanism  seem  to  be  reviving.  M.  Thiers,  who 
leads  the  Opposition,  is  aiming  to  lead  France  back  into  the  old  attach- 
ment to  military  glory.  And  Paris  has  become  a  great  barrack;  bayo- 
nets seem  to  be  the  domestic  power  of  the  king,  as  they  are  the  foreign 
power  of  the  nation.  It  is  really  striking  to  see  the  old  Roman  Churches 
undergoing  repairs  everywhere.  The  priests  are  a  better  looking  and 
better  dressed  set  of  people  than  when  I  was  here  in  1839.    The  churches 


196  LIFE   OF  EDWARD   NORMS   KIRK. 

are  more  fully  attended  ;  and  their  decorations  are  more  in  the  modern 
French  taste,  gaudy  and  brilliant.  The  pure  Greek  and  the  pure  Gothic 
are  alike  absent  from  the  modern  religious  architecture  of  France.  The 
Madeleine  is  a  magnificent  structure,  but  is  loaded  with  gilding,  paint- 
ings, and  florid  ornaments.  My  present  impression,  in  attending  the 
Roman  service,  is  that  of  deeper  pity  than  I  ever  felt  before.  It  seems  to 
me  a  wonder  that  we  can  behold  our/ellow-creatures  thus  deluded  in  the 
matter  of  highest  moment,  — their  communion  with  God,  and  the  mode 
of  attaining  his  favor,  —  and  not,  at  least,  more  earnestly  pray  for  their 
deliverance.  Satan  is  certainly  regaining  his  lost  territory ;  he  is  surely 
preparing  for  a  tremendous  assault  upon  the  Messiah's  kingdom.  And 
happy  are  they  who  know  how  to  be  alarmed  and  sufficiently  assured  to 
excite  them  at  once  to  action,  and  to  joyful  expectation. 

"  Depend  upon  it,  my  dear  friend,  our  worldliness  and  apathy  are  very 
reprehensible.  We  shall  soon  see  our  position,  our  duties,  and  our  priv- 
ilege, from  another  point  of  view.  And  I  have  no  hesitation  in  endeavor- 
ing to  arouse  my  own  mind,  and  the  minds  of  my  friends,  to  address 
ourselves  anew  to  the  work.  A  kind  Providence  may  restore  me  to  my 
people  and  my  work :  the  anticipation  is  to  me  most  delightful ;  but  I 
trust  that  He  who  calls  us  to  the  work,  may  abundantly  replenish  us  for 
it.  Our  church  has  done  well  in  many  respects;  but,  alas  !  what  de- 
ficiencies of  attachment  to  such  a  Redeemer  and  such  a  cause !  What 
indifference  to  each  other's  spiritual  progress,  and  to  the  salvation  of  our 
fellow-men ! 

"  Present  my  kindest  salutation  to  your  esteemed  parents  and  to  Mrs. 
Tobey.  You  and  your  little  ones  have  a  place  in  the  affections  and 
prayer  of  your  pastor,  as  I  trust  he  has  in  yours.  With  much  esteem, 
"  Your  brother  in  Christ,  Edward  N.  Kirk." 

"London,  August  1,  1846. 

"My  dear  Mary,  —  Did  you  ever  receive  a  whole  letter  from 
Europe  ?  I  believe  not.  Then  I  will  give  you  that  pleasure  and  honor, 
for  such  I  see  George  and  Daniel  consider  it.  But  as  to  letter-writing,  I 
utterly  yield  the  palm  to  my  fellow-traveler.  He  writes  everytbing  he 
sees  and  hears  into  a  book,  and  then  gives  it  out  to  his  friends  with  a 
vividness  and  detail  which  almost  transplants  the  reader  into  the  scenes 
themselves.  But  I  deal  in  generals  and  reflections  which  have  no  narra- 
tive interest.  So  then  you  must  take  me  just  as  I  am,  only  I  will 
strike  a  little  into  that  vein,  and  tell  you  something  of  my  life  at  Geneva, 
which  has  been  the  pleasantest  part  of  my  journey,  though  the  most  try- 
ing to  my  friend.  We  could  not  leave  it  sooner  than  we  did,  because  I 
had  sent  for  Bargnani,  and  he  was  to  come  and  meet  some  gentlemen 
with  myself  there.  Mr.  Safford  could  not  go  out  into  French  society ; 
the  very  great  social  enjoyment  I  had  there  made  a  trying  contrast  for 
him. 


THE  EVANGELICAL  ALLIANCE.  197 

"  Geneva  is  to  me  one  of  the  pleasantest  spots  in  the  world.  It  is  a 
quiet,  unpretending  city,  at  the  foot  of  its  own  sweet  lake,  where  the  pure 
blue  Rhone  shoots  away  in  a  deep,  rapid  torrent,  dividing  the  city  almost 
equally.  On  the  one  side  (northwest  and  north)  are  the  Jura  Mountains, 
separated  from  the  city  and  lake  by  a  gentle  and  beautiful  slope  of  land 
highly  cultivated,  and  covered  with  country-seats  ;  among  which,  that 
formerly  of  Madame  De  Stael  (author  of  '  Corinne,'  which  Harriet  has 
been  reading)  is  pointed  out.  Then  the  lake  stretches  quietly  and  beau- 
tifully away  to  the  east,  and  on  the  south,  the  bold  Alps  of  Savoy  begin 
their  swellings,  rising  tier  on  tier,  until  you  see  the  giant  Mont  Blanc  on 
his  snowy  throne,  overlooking  all.  Geneva,  then,  seems  like  a  bright  gem 
set  in  its  verdant  frame,  pure  and  bright  as  the  diamond.  Its  inhabitants 
are  an  intelligent,  social  people;  I  found  those  with  whom  I  mingled 
peculiarly  so.  We  arrived  there  on  Thursday  evening.  The  next  morn- 
ing, after  finding  and  reading  over  letters,  I  went  out  to  call  on  Colonel 
Tronchin,  as  the  person  best  known  to  me.  He  has  two  beautiful  villas, 
one  on  each  side  of  the  lake.  In  the  winter  he  occupies  that  nearest  the 
city,  and  on  the  lowest  ground.  I  found  him  there.  He  at  once  insisted 
on  my  spending  the  day  with  him.  I  did  so,  and  could  not  get  away 
until  late  in  the  evening.  The  next  day  I  called  on  Dr.  Malan  and  on 
Mr.  AVolff's  parents. 

"  I  should  have  said  that  Colonel  Tronchin  took  me  out  to  his  other 
villa  that  evening,  which  is  situated  on  the  summit  of  a  high  slope  on  the 
south  side  of  the  lake.  There  he  has  built  in  a  grove  a  tower,  from 
the  summit  of  which  you  overlook  the  whole  surrounding  country,  and 
have  a  fair,  unbroken  view  of  Mont  Blanc.  We  stayed  and  watched  the 
setting  sun  tinging  its  summit  when  all  else  in  view  was  shaded.  The 
color  fades  into  a  yellow,  then  turns  to  a  bright  rose,  then  sinks  away 
into  a  cold,  firm,  snow-white.  We  descended  from  the  tower,  and  went 
to  a  beautiful  chdlet,  or  Swiss  cottage,  which  he  has  erected  for  the  bene- 
fit of  poor  invalids,  that  they  may  have  medical  attendance  at  a  very 
reduced  price,  and  some  for  nothing.  Here  he  holds  religious  meetings 
every  Sunday,  and  as  often  on  week  days  as  he  can.  But  here  I  find  my 
paper  will  scarcely  hold  out  for  the  first  three  days.  I  shall  have  there- 
fore to  fall  into  my  own  strain  of  generalities,  and  say,  as  you  said  on 
another  occasion,  '  What  a  nice  time  I  had. '  On  Tuesday  morning,  we 
started  for  Chamouni  (pronounced  Shahmoonee). 

"In  quitting  Geneva,  you  go  over  successive  ranges  of  the  Alps,  contin- 
ually varying  in  grandeur  and  beauty.  We  alighted  at  the  baths  of  St. 
Gervais,  one  of  the  most  romantic  spots  in  the  world.  A  hotel  is  built  up 
as  far  in  the  gorge  of  the  vast  mountains  as  possible.  It  covers  a  variety 
of  hot  and  sulphur  springs.  It  has  large  music-rooms,  beautiful  and  wild 
promenades,  a  fierce  cascade  back  of  the  house;  in  short,  a  lovely  retreat 
for  invalids  and  citizens.     We  clambered  from  the  baths  up  to  the  hotel 


198  LIFE   OF  EDWARD  NORMS   KIRK. 

of  Mt.  Joli,  to  spend  the  night.  In  the  morning  we  took  three  horses,  for 
ourselves  and  two  other  gentlemen,  to  go  up  to  the  very  foot  of  Mont 
Blanc,  and  there,  at  the  Pavilion,  pay  our  respects  to  his  awful  majesty. 
But  all  that  I  can  pass  over,  because  Mr.  S.  has  given  it  in  detail.  We 
returned  to  Geneva  on  Saturday. 

"  On  Sunday  I  Went  to  the  Oratorie,  the  church  erected  (or,  rather, 
hired)  by  Drs.  D'Aubign^,  Gaussen,  and  their  colleagues.     I  heard  M. 

Pilet,  their  best  preacher,  and  there  I  found  Count ,  an  Italian  of 

whom  I  had  often  heard  ;  of  one  of  the  most  distinguished  families  in 
Italy,  and  a  truly  devoted  Christian.  It  was  a  source  of  great  delight 
to  me  to  see  an  intelligent,  converted  Italian,  and  ascertain  his  views  in 
regard  to  the  Christian  Alliance.  We  made  an  appointment  to  meet 
together  on  Monday  morning  at  Colonel  Tronchin's  beautiful  villa,  La 
Prairie, — that  nearest  the  city.  We  breakfasted  and  worshiped  to- 
gether on  Monday  morning,  in  the  sweet,  simple  style  of  the  Swiss,  at 
prayers  each  one  making  such  reflections  upon  the  portion  of  Script- 
ure read  as  seemed  to  him  desirable.  After  breakfast,  we  went  out 
under  the  shade  of  a  beautiful  grove,  from  the  side  of  which  you 
overlook  the  city  and  the  southern  mountains.  There  we  spent  the 
morning  in  delightful  contemplation  about  the  kingdom  of  Christ.  (Of 
course  it  is  desirable  that  names  should  not  be  much  talked  about,  nor 
published,  in  connection  with  Italy.  Therefore,  if  you  read  any  part  of 
this  to  others,  just  omit  names  which  can  be  of  no  use  to  any  one  else.) 
On  Tuesday,  I  passed  the  morning  with  Colonel  Tronchin,  and  dined  at 

another  beautiful  villa,  belonging  to  M.  .     In  the  evening,  met  a 

large  circle  at  Professor  Gaussen's.  He  lives  just  beyond  the  walls  of 
the  city  in  a  lovely  cottage,  surrounded  by  shrubbery  walks  and  a  lawn. 
We  took  tea  in  the  open  air,  and  supper  in  the  house.  It  was  a  brilliant 
circle  of  intelligent  and  pious  people. 

"  On  Wednesday  I  dined  with  Professor  Gaussen.  He  has  an  interest- 
ing family,  consisting  of  his  mother,  sister,  and  daughter.  He  is  an 
enthusiastic  man,  highly  educated,  full  of  learning,  simple  as  a  child. 
His  conversation  was  the  most  delightful  fountain  of  joy  to  my  heart. 
We  talked  much  of  "  Theopneustie,"  his  work  which  I  translated.  I 
could  not  break  from  him  until  ten  o'clock  in  the  evening.  When  he 
and  I  met  on  Cromwell's  character,  we  were  on  the  winged  horses  of 
Pegasus,  and  the  chariots  of  Aminadab.  It  was  a  series  of  sky-rockets 
for  about  an  hour.  I  had  just  gone  through  a  severe  contest  with  M. 
and  Mme.  Tronchin  on  this  same  topic.  They  are  highly  aristocratic 
in  their  feelings,  and  can  scarcely  believe  that  he  who  could  sign  the 
death-warrant  of  a  Stuart  could  be  a  good  man.  The  earnestness  of 
their  attack  upon  my  friend  only  the  more  prepared  me  for  my  inter- 
view with  Gaussen.  On  Friday  afternoon  I  went  out  to  the  more  distant 
country-seat  of  the  Tronchins  to  dine  again  with  them.     In  the  evening, 


THE   EVANGELICAL  ALLIANCE.  199 

I  preached  to  his  little  hospital  congregation.  I  spent  the  night  with 
them.  In  the  morning  walked  all  around  the  grounds  with  his  two 
charming  daughters,  Helen  and  Mary  ;  the  one  of  Sarah's  age,  and  the 
other  of  yours.     They  speak  French,  German,  and  English. 

"  After  breakfast,  M.  Bargnani  appeared.  He  was  very  glad  to  meet  me 
again.  We  spent  the  morning  in  discussions.  On  Sunday  I  heard  Pro- 
fessor Gaussen  preach  to  two  congregations  of  children,  and  went  home 
to  dine  with  him.  After  dinner  he  took  the  Bible  and  laid  open  the 
scheme  of  prophecy  with  great  clearness  and  eloquence.  My  intercourse 
with  him  is  among  the  most  delightful  of  my  delightful  reminiscences  of 
Geneva.  I  was  much  delighted  with  all.  Merle  D'Aubigne  is  a  very 
agreeable  man,  but  cast  in  another  mould.  Mme.  Merle  is  a  charming 
person.  On  Monday  I  dined  with  Colonel  Saladin.  Mme.  Merle  was  the 
only  other  guest.  Mme.  Saladin  is  a  great  translator  of  English  and 
American  works.  Col.  S.  lives  in  a  chalet,  or  Swiss  cottage,  directly  on 
the  borders  of  the  lake,  on  the  northern  side.  There  I  heard  the  first 
sweet  private  singing  I  have  heard  in  Europe.  Mine.  Saladin  and  Mme. 
Merle  sing  sacred  music  admirably. 

"  Thus  I  closed  my  residence  in  Geneva,  and  I  left  it  on  Tuesday  with 
some  regret.  But  not  with  any  reluctance  did  I  turn  my  face  toward 
home.  I  selected  this  portion  of  my  time  to  describe  to  you,  because 
it  has  left  upon  my  mind  such  pleasant  impressions,  and  because  1  visited 
so  much  more  than  ever  before  in  the  same  space  of  time.  I  have  lit- 
erally lived  in  these  Genevese  families  for  a  fortnight  like  one  of  their 
own  number.  I  am  now  in  London,  a  very  different  sort  of  place.  I 
have  more  friends  here  than  there,  but  it  is  difficult  to  get  a  home  feel- 
ing amid  this  smoky  wilderness  of  brick  walls.  God  bless  you,  my  dear 
child.     Your  Uncle  Edward." 

The  appended  letter  to  his  mother  gives  us  a  hint  of  his 
impressions  at  the  time  of  the  first  meeting  of  the  Evangeli- 
cal Alliance. 

"  London,  August  18,  1846. 
"My  dear  Mother,  —  lam  now  setting  my  face  homeward.  On 
the  4th  of  September  we  hope  to  step  upon  the  great  road  that  leads  to 
Boston.  But  a  most  interesting  week  lies  before  us.  The  salt  of  the 
earth  seems  gathered  here.  I  never  saw  a  more  interesting  collection  of 
men.  And  if  the  Lord  is  with  us,  it  will  be  heaven  on  earth.  I  am  in 
an  improved  state  of  health,  and  prepared  to  profit  by  our  anticipated 
exercises.  I  have  just  seen  Mr.  Ross,  the  friend  of  Mr.  Gough.  He 
remembers  Boston  with  intense  interest,  and  especially  Mount  Vernon 
Church.  He  says  that  Dr.  Cox  and  I,  and  many  other  Americans,  are 
taken  down  in  wood-cuts,  as  we  were  at  a  public  meeting.     The  doctor's 


200  LITE   OF   EDWARD  NORMS   KIRK. 

is  a  good  likeness,  mine  indifferent.  If  I  can  find  tliern,  you  shall  see 
them.  Dr.  Cox  is  making  the  most  brilliant  display  of  his  powers  here. 
The  rest  of  us  are  very  tame.  I  never  was  much  flatter  in  my  life. 
Miss  S.  wrote  me  a  dazzling  description  of  the  light  which  her  minister 
was  to  shed  on  Britons;  but  she  did  not  know  how  dim  my  taper  was  to 
be  amid  these  great  luminaries.  Dr.  Beecher  does  not  appear  as  he  used 
to;  and  yet  he  retains  some  of  the  old  fire. 

"I  have  n't  yet  met  your  maternal  anxieties  by  telling  you  just  how 
many  times  I  have  coughed  or  taken  pills  this  summer.  On  the  whole 
my  health  has  been  improving.  My  extreme  nervous  depression  and 
sensibility  have  diminished.  My  sleep  is  more  refreshing;  but  I  have 
had  a  slight  attack  of  bronchitis,  which  is  now  passing  away.  The  fam- 
ily of  J.,  with  whom  I  have  passed  a  week,  have  taken  the  kindest  care 
of  me.  They  were  formerly  Quakers,  and  have  introduced  me  among 
Quakers.  They  have  much  intelligence,  refinement,  and  piety.  They 
live  in  much  more  beautiful  places  than  I  supposed  their  views  of  duty 
would  permit.  Their  furniture  is  plain,  but  their  grounds  are  beautiful. 
Attended  their  meeting  twice,  and  I  assure  you  it  was  strange  for  me  to 
sit  still  nearly  two  hours,  and  neither  hear  nor  speak  a  word.  But  it  was 
better  to  me  than  a  great  many  noisier  meetings  I  have  attended  in  Eng- 
land. Poor  children  and  youth !  I  pitied  them,  but  I  admired  their 
tranquillity,  and  the  discipline  that  could  induce  it.  What  would  our 
dear  Mary  do  in  a  Quaker  meeting  !  .   .   .   . 

"  We  now  go  off  to  the  meeting,  on  a  tolerably  bright  summer  morn- 
ing. But  you  will  be  in  September  when  this  reaches  you.  We  shall 
probably  bring  our  next  letters  ourselves. 

"  Greet  all  the  household;  may  our  God  be  your  portion. 

"  Your  affectionate  and  grateful  child,  Edward." 

Upon  the  19th  of  August,  the  great  convocation  was  held 
in  the  spacious  and  splendid  Freemasons'  Hall.  It  had 
been  summoned  by  no  civil  or  ecclesiastical  authority.  It 
was  convened  for  no  legislative  action ;  and  to  strengthen 
no  party,  unless  there  were  an  evangelical  party.  It  was  not 
held  in  order  to  widen  any  breaches  already  existing ;  nor  to 
oppose  any  body  or  system. 

Clergy  of  the  Established  Church  and  Dissenters  from  the 
Establishment  sat  side  by  side.  Sons  of  the  old  Covenan- 
ters, fresh  from  the  Highlands  and  Lowlands  of  Scotland,  — 
heroes  in  the  Disruption, — were  there  with  an  unyielding 
faith  in  the  great  principles  of  truth.  Ministers  of  Christ 
from  the  Emerald  Isle,  keen  in  scholarship  as  well  as  in  wit, 


THE   EVANGELICAL  ALLIANCE.  201 

deepened  their  sacred  fellowship  with  the  brave,  generous, 
and  impulsive  neighbors  from  just  across  St.  George's  Chan- 
nel. Germany  sent  thither  some  of  her  choicest  thinkers,  to 
receive  a  new  baptism  in  Christ's  fellowship,  with  their 
brethren  from  France,  and  in  fact,  from  almost  every  Chris- 
tian nation  or  land.  In  the  midst  of  such  a  company,  or 
rather  themselves  of  it,  were  some  sixty  or  seventy  Christian 
heroes  from  the  New  World,  prominent  among  whom  were 
such  men  as  Beecher,  Emerson,  Cox,  Mason,  De  Witt, 
Skinner,  Peck,  Schmucker,  Safford,  and  Kirk. 

No  such  scene  had  ever  been  witnessed  before.  It  declared 
that  Christian  love  is  mightier  than  an  organized  ecclesias- 
ticism,  and  has  roots  reaching  far  deeper  than  those  of  any 
sect.  Said  Deacon  Safford,  "  Praying  and  singing  might  be 
heard  in  different  languages,  in  the  general  meeting  or  in 
the  committee-rooms.  Never  did  I  hear  such  praying  before, 
—  old,  gray-headed  ministers,  with  tears  confessing  their  un- 
charitableness,  the  unkind  and  censorious  feelings  they  had 
indulged,  and  words  they  had  uttered ;  their  prayers  for 
pardon,  and  that  they  might  be  filled  with  love  to  each  other 
and  to  their  common  Head,  and  that  they  might  all  be  one." 

The  "  week  of  prayer,"  with  all  its  since  thrice-blessed 
fruits,  was  there  suggested.  It  was  a  union  in  Christ 
against  the  world.  Rome  laughed  at  London.  Priests  and 
cardinals  grew  witty  over  what  they  thought  the  "jargon  " 
of  the  nine  hundred  delegates  in  the  great  assembly.  They 
pronounced  it  "  the  league  of  certain  Protestant  sects  for  the 
promotion  of  infidelity  in  all  Catholic  countries,  especially  in 
Italy."  "  Meanwhile,"  said  the  Boston  "  Tablet,"  "  we  cannot 
deny  that  this  so-called  Christian  Alliance,  designed  as  it  is 
to  act  in  concert  with,  and  mainly  through,  the  disaffected 
Italians,  will  cause  much  mischief.  It  is  evident  that  it  in- 
tends to  foment  a  political  revolution  in  Italy."  Concerning 
the  American  Christian  Alliance,  which  helped  to  bring 
about  the  World's  Evangelical  Alliance,  and  which  met  on 
June  19th  of  the  previous  year,  the  same  authority  had  thus 
written  at  the  time  :  — 


202  LITE  OF  EDWARD  NORMS   KIRK. 

"  The  so-called  '  Christian  Alliance '  appears  to  be  designed  to 
strengthen  and  cooperate  with  this  infidel  party;  for  we  can  hardly 
question  that  such  men  as  the  Rev.  E.  N.  Kirk,  the  Rev.  Dr.  Bacon,  and 
the  Rev.  Drs.  Beecher,  father  and  son,  have  much  more  in  common  with 
infidelity  than  with  Catholicity,  and  would  much  rather  men  should  have 
no  religion  than  the  Catholic  religion.  The  '  Christian  Alliance,'  there- 
fore, is  improperly  named We  are  not  quite  sure  that  cit- 
izens of  one  country  have  the  right  under  the  law  of  nations  to  band 
together,  concert  and  carry  on  measures  for  the  purpose  of  overthrowing 
or  revolutionizing  governments  with  which  their  own  is  at  peace;  and 
should  they  do  so,  we  are  not  sure  but  the  governments  attacked  would 
have  the  right  officially  to  complain  of  the  want  of  good  faith  on  the  part 
of  the  government  tolerating  them;  we  are  not  sure  but  the  governments 
of  Italy  would  have  the  right  to  demand  of  our  government  the  suppres- 
sion of  this  Alliance,  and  in  case  it  did  not  suppress  it,  to  vindicate  them- 
selves by  hanging  or  imprisoning  every  American  citizen  they  could  find 
within  their  dominions." 

The  leader  in  this  movement  is  characterized  in  the  fol- 
lowing language :  — 

"  The  Christian  Alliance  is  to  be  regarded,  not  merely  as  a  Protestant 
Association,  not  formed  merely  for  the  spread  of  the  principles  of  the  so- 
called  Reformation,  but  as  a  grand  society  for  propagating  the  glorious 
principles  of  the  American  Revolution.  It  is  to  spread  abroad  at  once 
freedom  in  religion  and  freedom  in  the  state.  It  is  to  be,  as  it  were,  a 
grand  committee  for  propagating  universal  freedom  throughout  the  world. 
What  American  will  not  hail  it  with  rapture,  and  be  eager  to  contribute 
to  its  coffers?  All  ardent  minds,  all  young  enthusiasms,  '  Giovine  Italia,' 
'la  jeune  France,'  'das  junge  Deutschland,'  'Young  England,'  'Young 
America,'  all  the  youngsters  and  younglings  of  the  world,  will  enroll 
themselves  under  its  banner,  and  follow  the  Rev.  E.  N.  Kirk  of  Mount 
Vernon  Church,  in  Boston,  as  generalissimo,  to  the  demolition  of  the  time- 
battered  church,  which  has  withstood  all  the  beating  of  the  winds  and 
waves  of  Paganism,  Mahometanism,  Schism,  and  Heresy,  for  these  eight- 
een hundred  years  —  to  the  overthrow  of  all  old  thrones  and  dynasties, 
and  to  the  erection  on  their  ruins  of  a  universal  republic,  one  and  indivi- 
sible. Grand!  sublime!  thrilling  is  the  prospect!  Glorious  will  be  the 
enterprise,  and  all-powerful  the  appeal  it  must  make  to  — our  pockets  !  " 

Dr.  Kirk  ever  afterwards  referred  with  the  greatest  delight 
to  his  participation  in  the  proceedings  of  this  assembly. 
The  friendships  formed  in  it  were  never  broken ;  and  the 
results  were  far  beyond  the  anticipations  of  those  who  brought 


THE   EVANGELICAL  ALLIANCE.  203 

it  together.     Here  is  an  interesting  reminiscence  of  this  mem- 
orable season  :  — 

"One  afternoon  Dr.  Bickersteth,  senior,  Dr.  Tholuck,  Professor 
Adolnhe  Monod,  and  myself  occupied  an  apartment  in  a  railway  coach, 
on  our  way  to  Dr.  Bickersteth' s  parish  to  hold  a  meeting  for  the  benefit 
of  the  Bible  Society.  Professor  Tholuck  spoke  with  great  admiration  of 
President  Edwards.  His  remarks  led  me  to  impure  what  he  regarded 
as  the  characteristic  of  the  American  mind.  He  replied,  <  Scharfsicht 
(sharp-sightedness),  the  power  of  distinction,  and  the  power  of  analysis. 
He  then  related  an  anecdote  of  a  Catholic  priest  who  never  was  known 
to  -ive  a  direct  answer  to  any  inquiry  made  to  him:  his  uniform  reply 
was°,  '  Distinguo.'  On  one  occasion,  at  a  dinner  party,  his  bishop  being 
present  remarked  to  some  of  his  friends,  'I'll  throw  this  man  off  his 
guard.'  In  the  midst  of  general  conversation,  turning  suddenly  to  the 
priest,  he  said,  '  What  is  your  opinion?  Is  baptism  administered  with 
broth  valid '  '  The  imperturbable  priest,  true  to  himself,  replied,  '  Dis- 
tinguo: if  your  grace  should  so  administer  it,  it  might  be  valid;  but  not 
if  1  should.' 

<«  Turning  to  M.  Monod,  I  remarked,  '  I  see  that  you  have  just  been 
delivering  a°lecture  to  your  students  at  Montauban  on  the  thesis,  "The- 
ology and  advancing  Science."  If  I  wore  asked  my  opinion  on  the  sub- 
ject, my  reply  would  be,  DUHnguo:  if  by  Theology  you  mean  the  truths 
revealed  in  the  Scriptures,  I  believe  there  will  be  no  progress,  no  rectifi- 
cation, no  addition,  no  fuller  light,  to  the  end  of  time;  but  if  you  mean 
Hermeneutics  and  Dogmatics,  or  our  interpretation  of  the  Bible,  and  our 
scientific  arrangement  of  its  truths,!  believe  there  will  be  continual 
change,  progress,  and  improvement.'  ' 

Usurped  authority,  whether  in  church  or  in  state,  always 
received  his  unqualified  condemnation.  He  called  no  man 
Master,  and  had  no  aspirations  after  power  himself.  Re- 
peatedly he  spoke  of  the  dangers  of  the  Papacy,  and  with 
such  unmistakable  clearness  and  force  that  his  friends  were 
often  afraid  for  his  life.  He  thus  tersely  recorded  his  convic- 
tions, upon  one  occasion :  — 

«  The  <rreat  eye  of  the  world,  which  frightens  popes  more  than  does  the 
great  eve°of  God,  is  on  Rome  and  her  political  allies.  It  is  morally  im- 
possible that  the  rights  of  humanity  can  be  outraged,  and  the  laws  of 
God  violated,  by  prince  or  priest,  as  openly  as  in  former  days.  What 
has  been  said  of  the  internal   government  of  nations,  may  be  said  ot 


204  LIFE   OF  EDWARD  NORMS   KIRK. 

princes  and  cabinets,  —  a  new  power  has  arisen  to  modify  them.  There 
is  a  Public  Opinion ;  not  made  up  as  formerly  of  the  policy  of  the  govern- 
ing, but  formed  by  Man;  by  Man  as  the  student  of  God's  government; 
by  the  conscience  of  the  world.  Men  in  power  may  affect  to  despise  it, 
but  they  might  as  well  affect  to  despise  the  laws  of  gravitation  and 
combustion.  Be  he  pope,  prince,  or  lover  of  the  slave-code  of  America, 
every  tyrant  must  feel  the  power  and  pressure  of  ripening,  strengthening 
public  sentiment.  It  comes  like  the  spring-tides  of  old  ocean;  sometimes 
rippling  and  gentle  and  unperceived;  sometimes  even  retreating;  and 
anon,  rising,  rushing,  roaring, —  a  broad,  dark,  awful,  and  resistless  wave, 
that  in  an  hour  desolates  a  continent." 

Referring,  in  1852,  to  the  seizure  and  condemnation  of 
Francesco  and  Rosa  Madiai  in  Italy  because  of  their  distri- 
bution of  God's  word,  he  thus  wrote :  — 

"  It  must  be  remembered  that  this  is  the  age  of  steam-power,  tele- 
graphs, and  patent  presses;  the  age  of  travel,  thought,  and  growing  fra- 
ternal feeling  among  the  nations  of  the  earth.  The  Grand  Duke  of 
Tuscany  now  becomes  a  spectacle  to  the  world ;  and  he  will  discover  be- 
fore long  that  the  world  is  looking  at  him.  His  illustrious  predecessor 
on  the  throne,  Lorenzo  de  Medici,  crushed  the  civil  liberties  of  Flor- 
ence; but  he  tolerated  the  growing  independence  of  thought  which  char- 
acterized his  age.  The  present  prince  retains  the  obstinacy  of  his  pred- 
ecessor, without  his  grandeur  of  soul.  Yet  he  can  feel  contempt ;  he  can 
hear  the  roaring  of  the  winds  that  come  from  the  ends  of  the  earth, 
echoing  around  his  feudal  castle  the  sighs  of  the  Madiai. 

"  And  what  it  behooves  Christians  now  to  do  is,  to  increase  supplica- 
tions to  God  while  Rome  is  increasing  supplications  to  Mary.  Pray  for 
the  Pope;  for  the  cardinals,  bishops,  and  princes  of  the  Roman  Church. 
Pray  for  the  oppressed;  pray  for  the  benighted  subjects  of  those  be- 
nighted sovereigns.     God  is  the  hearer  of  prayer;  and  He  is  almighty. 

' '  It  becomes  us  also  to  hold  the  attention  of  the  civilized  world  to 
cases  like  this  of  the  Madiai.  Some  have  regarded  the  movements  of 
American  Christians  as  too  feeble  to  reach  the  Vatican.  In  1843  we 
formed  a  Christian  Alliance,  whose  specific  object  was  to  maintain  the 
rights  of  conscience  and  plead  for  the  oppressed.  In  1844  the  Pope 
honored  us  with  a  notice,  the  meaning  of  which  was  this, —  '  Gentle- 
men, you  have  touched  a  weak  place  in  my  body  politic'  One  of  the 
very  objects  of  that  alliance  was,  to  address  letters,  respectful  but 
earnest,  to  all  the  tyrants  of  Europe;  and  to  lay  before  them  considera- 
tions which,  if  they  could  resist,  the  world  would  appreciate.  This  course, 
pursued  for  a  few  years,  would  demonstrate  to  the  candid  and  honest  men 


THE   EVANGELICAL   ALLIANCE.  205 

who  still  support  these  powers  that  they  are  tyrants,  the  tyrants  of  the 
nineteenth  century.  We  can  cry  in  the  ears  of  these  men,  Shame! 
shame!  The  press  will  echo  it;  the  human  heart  will  echo  it;  God 
will  echo  it,  to  their  hearts.  The  trade  of  tyrants  must  become  more 
and  more  difficult.  God  has  so  decreed;  and  let  all  the  people  say, 
Amen." 


CHAPTER  XI. 

MINISTERIAL   LABORS   IN   BOSTON. 
1847-1856. 

On  the  18th  of  September  our  two  delegates  were  wel- 
comed home  to  their  accustomed  places.  Crowding  congre- 
gations, Sabbath  after  Sabbath,  filled  the  spacious  church, 
and  by  their  intensely  silent  attention  bespoke  the  power  of 
their  pastor  as  no  words  could  ever  have  done.  And  from 
every  side  came  evidences  of  his  increasing  influence  and 
repute.  Invitations  from  churches,  far  and  near,  summoned 
him  to  preach  upon  their  special  occasions  of  interest,  —  the 
ordinations  or  installations  of  their  pastors.  Societies  for 
general  benevolence  sought  his  advice  and  assistance.  Edit- 
ors requested  articles  from  his  pen.  Schools  and  colleges 
honoring  him  with  their  invitations  were  honored  by  him  in 
his  addresses  and  orations  before  them.  The  monotony  of 
such  a  life  was  like  that  of  the  table-land  far  above  the  com- 
mon plains. 

This  career  of  usefulness  not  only  had  its  professional  bur- 
dens and  trials,  but  as  the  years  advanced  private  sorrows 
were  mingled  with  the  cares  of  public  life.  In  1849  he  and 
his  sisters  were  called  to  mourn  the  death  of  their  mother. 
The  consolations  of  Heaven  were  not  wanting  to  them  at 
this  sad  hour.     He  has  left  this  record  of  the  event :  — 

"  October  4,  1849.  —  This  day  our  dear  mother  was  called  away  from 
us.  She  has  suffered  greatly,  and  our  prayer  has  been,  that  we  might 
have  the  recollection  of  one  season  of  respite  and  peace.  The  prayer 
was  answered.  "We  received  a  pledge  of  her  future  blessedness  that  will 
ever  rest  a  sweet,  soft  beam  upon  her  tomb." 


MINISTERIAL  LABORS   IN  BOSTON.  207 

Private  grief,  thus  sustained  by  heavenly  faith,  did  not 
unfit  him  for  his  public  duties.  He  showed  himself  able  to 
cope  with  these,  even  in  their  sternest  aspects.  It  was  at 
this  time  that  the  community  of  Boston  was  startled  by  the 
announcement  that  one  of  her  highly  respected  citizens  had 
disappeared  in  some  mysterious  manner.  A  period  of  awful 
suspense  was  succeeded  by  tantalizing  days  of  suspicion ; 
finally,  the  conviction  of  the  criminal  produced  a  shock  that 
was  felt  throughout  New  England,  and,  in  fact,  throughout 
the  whole  country.  The  melancholy  tragedy  ending  in  the 
execution  of  Professor  Webster  for  the  murder  of  Dr.  Park- 
man,  struck  a  thrill  of  horror,  even  in  hearts  unused  to  emo- 
tion. 

Mr.  Kirk  seized  upon  the  event,  as  did  hundreds  of  others, 
to  declare  its  lessons.  The  same  spirit  that  led  Chief  Jus- 
tice Shaw,  in  a  voice  choked  with  its  bitter  sorrow,  to  pro- 
nounce the  sentence  of  death  upon  his  own  friend,  was 
manifested  in  the  Mount  Vernon  pulpit.  Having  first  dwelt 
upon  the  crime  in  its  civil  relations,  the  preacher  passed  on 
to  consider  it  in  its  religious  aspects.  From  this  part  of  his 
sermon,  we  quote  :  — 

"II.  The  Religious  Aspects  of  the  Case.  They  are  many,  and  of  su- 
preme importance. 

"A  crime  of  the  most  heinous  character  has  been  committed  by  a 
man  standing  in  the  first  rank  of  society;  honored  by  the  position  to 
■which  he  was  appointed ;  favored  by  all  the  influences  and  appliances  of 
science,  and  the  intercourse  of  a  large,  refined,  and  intelligent  circle  of 
friends ;  having  every  worldly  inducement  to  obey  the  laws  of  God  and 
man.  But  he  has  first  squandered  his  property,  outlived  his  means,  and 
thus  been  long  unjust.  He  has  betrayed  the  confidence  that  was  re- 
posed in  him,  and  committed  fraud  upon  his  friends.  Having  exhausted 
the  patience  of  his  benefactor  by  delays  and  prevarications,  he  at  last 
invited  him  to  his  lecture-room,  under  pretense  of  meeting  his  claims, 
but  really  to  destroy  him  (as  some  things  indicate).  He  there  ma- 
liciously extinguished  the  life  of  his  friend,  and  sent  him  without  warning 
to  meet  the  dread  realities  of  eternity;  then,  with  a  brutal  insensibility, 
proceeded  to  dismember  that  body,  so  familiarly  known,  and  to  destroy 
it  by  piecemeal.  He  then  from  that  horrid  scene  returned  to  his  family 
and  friends  in  apparent  good  humor;  set  on  foot  various  reports  to  mis- 


208  LIFE   OF  EDWARD   NORMS   KIRK. 

lead  an  inquiring  public;  basely  tried  to  turn  suspicion  upon  an  innocent 
man;  when  arrested,  is  supposed  to  have  attempted  suicide;  on  his  trial 
manifested  a  disgusting  levity.  When  convicted  he  made  the  most 
solemn  denial  of  his  guilt;  calling  on  the  Searcher  of  hearts  to  attest  his 
innocence,  and  again  insinuating  that  some  malignant  person  had  com- 
mitted the  murder,  and  thrown  suspicion  on  him.  Suddenly  he  is  peni- 
tent;  confesses  the  crime;  is  submissive  to  his  fate;  is  prayed  for  as  a 
child  of  God,  and  made  confident  that  he  is  going  directly  to  heaven 
from  the  scaffold. 

"  Now  this  whole  history  is  certainly  very  wonderful,  in  a  religious 
point  of  view,  and  particularly  in  this  community.  It  will  be  evident,  on 
a  moment's  reflection,  that  some  of  the  main  principles  of  the  Christian 
system  are  involved  in  it.  This  community  is  divided  fundamentally  on 
the  questions,  What  did  Christ  teach?  What  is  the  gospel?  Some 
maintain  that  there  is  no  real  division.  But  we  shall  here  find  that 
there  is  a  difference  real  and  grave.  Some  maintain  that  the  differences 
are  not  important.  But  all  who  say  so  are  of  one  party.  And,  in  the 
present  instance,  their  importance  will  appear  to  be  as  great  as  that  of 
Christianity  itself. 

"  This,  of  all  cases,  seems  most  to  forbid  angry  controversy,  harsh 
polemics,  or  coarse  personal  remarks.  Men  are  of  minor  moment  in  such 
a  discussion.  Nor  are  we  called  upon  to  judge  of  men's  standing  before 
God,  nor  of  their  position  in  the  world  of  destiny.  But  we  are  called 
upon  to  state  what  is,  and  what  is  not,  the  gospel  of  Jesus  Christ.  And 
I  am  relieved  by  the  thought  that  no  one  class  of  our  citizens  can  con- 
sider this  an  attack  upon  a  party ;  for  the  views  which  I  shall  oppose  are 
held  by  various  persons,  and  not  entirely  by,  perhaps,  even  one  congre- 
gation, much  less  one  denomination.     This  case  has  illustrated  — 

"1.  The  Majesty,  Beauty,  and  Indispensableness  of  Public  Justice. 
The  necessity  of  justice  between  man  and  man  every  one  appreciates. 
But  as  you  ascend  to  her  higher  sphere,  where  she  holds  her  balance, 
determining  between  man  and  the  public  good,  men's  vision  becomes  more 
obscure.  And  when  you  ascend  to  justice  as  an  attribute  of  the  Divine 
Being,  and  an  element  of  his  government,  many,  even  wise  men  in  other 
matters,  are  utterly  without  vision;  and,  mistaking  their  want  of  vision 
for  the  non-existence  of  this  perfection  in  God,  they  caricature  the  reality, 
while  they  deny  its  existence.  So,  on  the  day  of  the  execution  in  this 
city,  it  is  reported  that  placards  were  posted  on  the  walls  which  repre- 
sented public  justice  as  a  murderer.  At  the  time  of  the  trial,  a  portion 
of  the  press  seemed  to  be  frantic.  Editors  at  a  distance  undertook  to 
decide,  on  mere  newspaper  reports,  over  the  heads  of  twelve  men  on 
oath,  who  heard  the  whole  testimony.  They  could  all  see,  however,  the 
evidence  of  guilt,  even  in  the  testimony  partially  reported,  but  would  not 
allow  the  jury  to  see  it.     The  verdict  of  the  jury  filled  many  with  horror 


MINISTERIAL  LABORS   IN   BOSTON.  209 

and  anger.  Nor  did  the  venerable  bench  escape  these  censures.  But 
the  friends  of  order  were  firm.  They  knew  they  were  but  performing 
their  duty,  and  therefore  calmly  awaited  the  issue.  The  European  press 
was  deeply  interested  by  the  peculiar  features  of  the  case.  But  their 
judgment,  so  far  as  I  have  seen,  was  not  with  the  clamorous  press  of  this 
country.     They  sanctioned  the  decision  of  the  jury. 

"  So  men  rail  at  the  justice  of  God  as  exhibited  in  his  threatenings. 
But  just  so  steadily  will  He  hold  his  course.  '  The  soul  that  sinneth,  it 
shall  die;  he  that  believeth  not  shall  be  damned.'  But  is  this  arbitrary, 
malignant,  cruel?  No  more  in  God  than  in  human  governments.  In 
each  it  is  necessary,  it  is  lovely.  Every  honest  man  knows  that  govern- 
ment is  indispensable,  and  that  justice  is  indispensable  to  government. 
All  the  theories  and  rhetoric  on  the  other  side  are  calculated  for  another 
meridian  than  this  apostate  world,  —  for  a  world  where  wrong  is  not 
known,  where  intelligence  and  power  are  not  turned  into  fraud  and  vio- 
lence. At  which  stage  of  this  tragical  affair  could  she  have  paused? 
At  the  search  for  the  body  ?  That  was  surely  necessary.  The  public 
good  requires  that  when  a  citizen  is  lost  from  his  accustomed  places  of 
resort,  and  from  his  dwelling,  to  the  utter  dismay  of  his  family  and 
friends,  there  be  an  earnest  search  for  him.  And  then  when  his  man- 
gled frame  is  found,  hewn  into  fragments,  cauterized,  burnt,  a  member 
here  and  a  member  there,  surely  there  is  a  necessity,  if  men  are  to  live 
together  as  men,  and  not  as  brutes,  that  inquisition  be  made  for  blood. 
A  feeling  of  intense  indignation  stings  every  soul.  It  is  not  wrong,  it  is 
right;  it  is  not  cruel,  nor  malignant,  nor  inhuman,  nor  ungodly.  It  is  a 
faint  reflection  of  God's  own  indignation.  The  man  is  found  who  did  it; 
yes,  the  very  man.  What  then  shall  be  done?  Try  him,  every  one  will 
say.  And  what  if  the  trial  shows  him  to  be  the  murderer?  God  has 
spoken  there.  Human  society  has  spoken  there.  The  wisest  and  the 
best  have  said,  He  must  die.  But  why,  it  might  be  said,  why  not  pause 
after  obtaining  his  confession,  and  restore  him  to  his  family  and  the  en- 
joyment of  life  ?  Because  there  is  a  vast  human  family,  is  the  reply  of 
Justice.  Life  is  more  secure  in  Boston  to-day  than  it  was  one  year  ago. 
Contrast  the  city  of  the  Puritan  with  the  city  of  the  Quaker,  in  this  re- 
spect. Here  it  is  demonstrated  that  the  murderer  will  encounter  Justice 
with  her  bandaged  eyes,  her  even  balance,  her  keen  sword.  Here  she 
knows  no  names  nor  parties.  She  fears  no  mobs,  she  feels  no  partiali- 
ties. Her  aegis  is  here  held  over  human  life  alike  in  the  mansion  and 
the  hovel.  We  know  that  there  is  a  necessity  for  this.  And  why  is  it 
not  equally  necessary  in  God's  government?  And  how  stern,  but  how 
pure,  majestic,  and  lovely  an  attribute  of  character  and  of  government  it 
is!  It  is  not  revenge;  it  is  a  wise  preference  of  right  to  wrong,  of  the 
happiness  of  the  good  to  the  selfish  gratification  of  the  wicked,  of  the 
general  to  the  private  good,  where  one  of  them  must  be  sacrificed.  It 
14 


210  LIFE   OF  EDWARD   NORMS   KIRK. 

is  the  purpose  to  defend  innocence,  virtue,  and  right  against  lawlessness 
and  fraud,  and  to  punish  and  destroy  vice  and  violence. 

"Massachusetts  stands  forth  to-day  to  the  world  in  greater  majesty 
than  before  this  painful  event.  Many  supposed  that  somewhere,  in  the 
process,  she  would  falter,  and  somehow  fail  to  bring  a  man  to  the  igno- 
miny of  such  an  end  from  the  height  of  such  a  position.  In  her  view, 
the  ignominy  lay  in  the  crime.  Some  persons  in  Europe  questioned 
whether  the  American  courts  had  firmness  sufficient  to  carry  such 
a  case  through.  Their  respect  for  us,  they  declare,  is  increased  by  the 
result.  But  why?  Because  Justice  is  lovely  and  majestic.  She  is 
stern,  but  not  cruel.  Never  was  a  trial  conducted  with  more  propriety 
and  moderation  than  this.  There  was  no  abuse  of  witnesses,  no  strain- 
ing at  points,  no  professional  trickery.  There  was  an  earnest  searching 
for  truth.  Justice  sat  with  unsullied  ermine  on  that  judgment-seat. 
But  judgment  was  tempered  with  mercy  throughout.  And  shame  on 
the  tongue  that  uttered  its  reproaches  where  no  commendation  is  too 
strong  to  express  what  the  public  owe  to  one  who,  for  so  long  a  period, 
was  compelled  to  hold  in  check  the,  distressing  sympathy  of  the  man 
while  he  represented  the  majesty  of  law.  I  believe  it  is  rare  to  find  a  jury 
entering  on  their  work  with  prayer.  If  sacred  interests  are  to  be  com- 
mitted to  men,  let  them  be  men,  if  you  can  find  such,  as  fear  and  trust 
God  —  men  who  ask  for  his  guidance  and  blessing. 

"  Justice  has  reigned,  and  the  issue  will  be  a  blessing  to  this  commu- 
nity. The  wicked  are  terrified.  The  good  may  now  dwell  together  in 
greater  confidence.  But  Justice  is  infinitely  more  pure,  lovely,  and 
majestic  in  God  and  his  government,  both  in  uttering  and  in  executing 
its  threatenings.  God  loves  individual  happiness,  but  the  general  good 
more. 

"  2.  This  Case  furnishes  important  Testimony  on  the  Question  of 
Man's  Apostasy  and  Depravity.  The  Bible  assumes  that  the  human  race 
is  not  in  its  normal  state  of  moral  excellence.  It  is  fallen,  apostate, 
or  depraved  as  a  race.  Sin  is  not  the  exception.  Extreme  depravity  is 
but  a  difference  in  degree,  not  in  kind.  There  is  a  brief  description  of 
the  manner  in  which  this  apostasy  commenced,  without  any  speculation 
or  theorizing,  or  replying  to  objections.  The  awful  fact  is  merely  stated 
for  practical  purposes,  to  lay  the  basis  for  the  remedial  system  which  is 
the  essence  of  the  gospel.  Deny  the  fact  of  human,  universal  apostasy, 
or  debasement  from  its  normal  state,  below  the  true  standard  of  human 
excellence,  and  you  make  the  Scriptures  an  absurdity  and  a  lie.  The 
universal  need  of  regeneration  is  asserted  by  our  Lord  in  his  conversa- 
tion with  Nicodemus,  and  the  reason  assigned  for  it  is  a  universal  one: 
'  for  that  which  is  born  of  the  flesh  is  flesh.'  Now  this  momentous  fact  is 
denied  by  large  numbers,  — was  probably  denied  by  him  whose  case  we 
are  now  considering.     He  was  certainly  a  wicked  man  within  the  last 


MINISTERIAL  LABORS   IN  BOSTON.  211 

year,  not  only  in  action,  but  in  heart.  The  Saviour  says,  '  Out  of  the 
heart  proceed  murders;  '  '  The  tree  is  known  by  its  fruit.'  The  princi- 
ple in  him  that  wrought  such  effect  must  have  been  one  of  great  malig- 
nity, making  the  pleasures  and  profits  of  wrong-doing  very  attractive  ; 
leading  on  its  victim  insidiously  and  gradually;  hiding  consequences  from 
his  sight;  promising  impunity;  exposing  all  the  dearest  interests  of  so- 
ciety, of  his  family,  of  himself  in  time  and  eternity;  enslaving  the  will  ; 
blunting  the  finer  sensibilities  of  nature ;  involving  the  innocent  in 
shame  and  anguish  ;  laying  up  stores  of  misery  for  years,  as  the  fruit  of 
the  indulgences  of  an  hour ;  defying  the  omniscient  eye  of  God  and  his 
omnipotent  arm.     Surely  this  is  a  most  malignant  principle. 

"  The  fact  is,  then,  incontrovertible,  that  here  was  one  of  our  race  a 
sinner,  a  very  great  sinner.  Now,  was  he  originally  holy,  virtuous,  inno- 
cent, at  some  particular  time  undergoing  an  apostasy,  and  falling  into  this 
condition  of  depravity  ?  That  is  the  question  which  divides  us  :  whether 
he  began  his  life  acting  from  a  holy  principle,  and  then  exchanged  it  for 
this  murderous  disposition  ;  or  whether  he  began  his  moral  course  as  a 
sinner,  having,  cherishing,  and  developing  a  selfish  heart.  If  he  thus 
fell,  when  was  it?  Who  is  willing  to  affirm  that  this  man,  somewhere 
in  his  life,  underwent  just  such  a  change  as  expelled  Adam  from  Para- 
dise? If  he  did  not  so  fall,  then  he  was  never  holy,  but  always  de- 
praved. If  he  did  so  fall,  we  have  another  inquiry  to  propose :  Under 
what  influence  was  it?  It  is  often  maintained,  in  order  to  defend  the 
theory  of  man's  native  goodness  against  all  the  stubborn  facts  of  history 
and  observation,  that  example  and  instruction  account  for  such  instances 
of  wickedness  as  do  occur.  But  what  attractive  and  seductive  example 
of  murder  has  led  him  on  to  this  ?  Was  it  instruction  ?  Did  his  respected 
father,  his  venerated  mother,  teach  him  this ;  or  was  it  the  venerable 
school  in  which  he  was  a  teacher?  I  know  of  nothing  outward  which 
can  be  assigned  as  an  adequate  cause  for  so  great  an  effect.  '  Every 
man  is  tempted  when  he  is  drawn  away  of  his  own  lust,  and  enticed,'  is 
the  testimony  of  Scripture.     (James  i.  14.) 

"  We  have  another  inquiry  :  Was  this  man  singular  as  a  sinner,  an 
apostate  spirit  amid  those  who  had  never  fallen  ?  He  may  have  been 
self-willed  and  cruel  beyond  many  others.  But  was  there  between  him  and 
other  children  so  marked  a  difference,  that  men  were  accustomed  to  say, 
Those  are  holy  beings,  this  is  a  depraved  being?  The  Scriptures  affirm, 
not  that  we  are  liable  to  depart  from  God,  but  that  '  we  all  have  gone 
astray.'     Surely  human  nature  is  not  now  in  its  normal  state. 

"  And  it  might  be  asked,  in  reference  to  some  theories  that  have  re- 
cently been  set  forth,  Was  his  fall  a  rise,  and  is  human  nature  advanc- 
ing by  such  experience  to  the  perfect  likeness  of  God?  Is  this  the  prog- 
ress by  the  very  laws  of  nature,  of  which  we  hear  so  much? 

"  I  do  not  doubt   that   this  remarkable   case  will   make   more  silent 


212  LIFE  OF  EDWARD  NORRIS  KIRK. 

changes  in  men's  theories  on  many  points  of  religious  belief  than  any- 
thing that  has  ever  occurred  here.  It  shows  the  vanity  of  that  confi- 
dence which  some  have  had  in  human  nature,  and  in  the  security  fur- 
nished by  worldly  accomplishments,  high  alliances,  and  mere  cultivation. 
Many  will  now  believe,  who  have  never  believed,  that  man  is  fallen,  and 
must  look  out  of  himself  for  a  Deliverer.  Many  will  now  admit  that 
neither  a  liberal  theology,  nor  respectable  connections,  nor  refinement, 
nor  elevation,  nor  good  society,  can  prevent  a  man  from  being  a  sinner, 
and  even  a  murderer.  Many  will  begin  to  believe  that  the  sin  which  is  in 
all  our  hearts  is  the  only  real  evil  to  be  dreaded.  It  begins,  like  the 
great  rivers  of  the  earth,  far  back  in  the  mountains  of  childhood,  small 
and  insignificant  ;  but,  as  they  run  they  expand,  and  swell  into  torrents 
and  seas.  In  the  present  case,  it  seems  to  have  been  at  first  an  excessive 
fondness  for  self-indulgence.  Certain  forms  of  worldly  good  seemed  to 
him  indispensable  to  happiness.  The  gratification  of  those  desires  led 
to  expenditures  beyond  his  income.  That  led  to  fraud,  which  exposed 
him  to  constant  vexation  and  irritability,  and  even  hatred  ;  which  is  mur- 
der, in  God's  sight,  long  before  it  assumes  an  outward  form  ;  for  '  he  that 
hateth  his  brother  is  a  murderer.'  It  is  easy  to  hate  those  whom  we 
injure,  and  those  who  interfere  with  our  selfish  indulgences.  When  the 
distinct  purpose  of  murder  was  formed,  we  cannot  know;  nor  what  proc- 
esses of  thought  reconciled  him  to  it;  nor  how  he  promised  himself  to  es- 
cape detection.  But  we  know  that  he  must  for  some  time  have  indulged 
such  a  hatred  and  such  a  conviction  that  the  life  of  that  man  was  incom- 
patible with  his  happiness;  that  when,  on  that  fatal  day,  his  anger 
reached  a  certain  pitch,  he  was  fully  ripe  for  that  deed.  He  struck  the 
murderous  blow!  He  was  from  that  moment  a  murderer  in  the  eye  of 
human  law;  his  life  was  forfeited;  existence  became  a  curse  to  him;  his 
name  a  disgrace;  his  family's  peace  a  wreck;  his  soul  exposed  to  an 
aggravated  doom.  Such  is  sin,  in  its  remote  beginnings,  traced  on  to 
its  issues.  When  it  is  finished,  it  bringeth  forth  death.  Perhaps  many 
of  us  have  indulged  anger  and  hatred,  which  needed  but  to  ripen  into 

maturity,  and  we  should  have  been  what  he  is 

"  5.  That  of  Regeneration.  I  feel  authorized  in  saying  that  the  im- 
pression has  been  fully  conveyed  to  the  public,  that  he  was  prepared  to 
enter  heaven  when  he  died.  He  was  prayed  for  as  a  child  of  God,  to 
whom  the  gate  of  heaven  might  be  opened;  not  as  one  yet  to  be  fitted  for 
it,  but  now  ready.  His  calmness  is  spoken  of  as  a  very  encouraging  in- 
dication that  all  was  bright  before  him.  Here,  then,  is  not  the  exercise 
of  private  judgment  concerning  religious  doctrines,  to  attack  which  might 
be  officious  and  offensive,  but  it  is  the  public  announcement  of  two  facts 
of  supreme  importance  to  mankind,  —  that  man  may  be  regenerated  ;  that 
this  man  was  regenerated.  That  scaffold  was  not  merely  the  place  of 
execution.     It  was  also  a  pulpit,  from  which  the  civilized  world  has  been 


MINISTERIAL  LABORS  IN  BOSTON.  213 

addressed.  And  these  have  been  the  announcements:  A  very  wicked 
man  can  be  regenerated  within  a  few  months;  and  the  evidence  of  such 
a  change  in  this  man  was  entirely  satisfactory.  The  cheerfulness  that 
was  encouraged  was  a  declaration  of  his  ministering  friend  equivalent  to 
this:  '  I  think  you  are  prepared  to  go  among  the  holy  and  the  blessed.' 
Now,  whoever  coincides  in  that  belief  has  fully  embraced  all  that  we  un- 
derstand by  regeneration;  a  change  so  profound  and  radical,  that  by  it  a 
man  whose  word  cannot  be  believed  on  his  most  solemn  declaration, 
whom  men  cannot  trust  to  live  on  the  earth,  may  be  suddenly  fitted  for 
the  presence  of  God  and  the  holy  society  of  heaven. 

"But  was  he  converted?  We  may  well  be  thankful  that  it  is  not 
made  our  duty  to  determine  that  point;  as  we  must  all  admit  our  in- 
ability to  do  it.  There  is,  however,  another  question  we  have  a  right, 
yea,  an  obligation,  to  examine  and  determine.  Are  the  evidences  pre- 
sented to  the  public  such  as  God's  word  justifies;  or  has  this  judgment  of 
his  state  been  formed  in  disregard  of  that  word  ?  I  answer  unqualifiedly, 
The  latter,  so  far  as  yet  appears.  Understand  me:  I  am  not  now  judging 
any  man;  I  am  dealing  with  a  religious  system,  which  has,  on  this  occa- 
sion, preached  its  peculiar  doctrines  to  the  largest  audience  it  ever 
addressed  at  one  time.  Within  one  month  from  that  day,  Europe  and 
America  heard  its  utterance.  I  am  judging  a  system  which  I  deem  to  be 
unscriptural,  and  dangerous  to  men's  souls,  while  it  claims  to  have  re- 
nounced the  delusions  of  our  fathers,  and  to  furnish  the  people  with  the 
pure  gospel.  And,  knowing  that  it  would  here  be  put  to  a  severe  test,  I 
have  anxiously,  and  with  the  most  truly  friendly  feeling  toward  him  who 
represented  it,  watched  its  manifestations.  I  wanted  to  know  whether  it 
would  go  into  that  cell,  and  tell  Mr.  Webster,  '  Sir,  you  are  a  sinner,  and 
cannot  be  saved  by  the  same  gospel  which  saves  us  good  men.  Sir,  you 
cannot  be  saved;  for  a  wicked  heart  like  yours  cannot  be  changed. 
There  is  no  provision  to  change  wicked  hearts.  We  do  not  believe  in 
that;  it  is  all  fanaticism,  and  encourages  wickedness.  Sir,  you  cannot 
be  forgiven,  for  there  never  was  an  atonement  made  for  sinners;  all  that 
Christ  did  was  to  set  you  an  example  of  goodness,  and  inculcate  the  pre- 
cepts of  virtue.  But  since  you  have  not  imitated  his  example,  nor  obeyed 
his  precepts,  Christ  can  do  nothing  more  for  you.  It  is  all  a  dream  that 
God  steps  out  of  the  regular  course  of  nature,  and,  by  supernatural  in- 
fluences, interferes  to  destroy  the  power  of  habit,  to  quench  the  unhal- 
lowed fires  of  passion,  and  create  light  amid  darkness,  and  call  the  dead 
to  life.  Christ  did  this  when  on  earth  in  a  material  sense  ;  but  it  is  all  a 
delusion  that  He  is  now  exalted  to  do  it  in  the  higher  spiritual  sense;  you 
must  not  expect  it.  The  mighty  wheels  of  nature  roll  on.,  Law  is  God; 
and  its  decree  is,  "As  a  man  sows,  so  shall  he  reap;  he  that  is  filthy,  let 
him  be  filthy  still."  '  To  be  consistent  with  itself,  I  thought  this  would 
be  its  utterance.     I  have  regarded  it  as  a  system  made  for  the  good,  and 


214  LIFE   OF  EDWARD   NORRIS   KIRK. 

not  for  the  bad.  But  here,  it  seems,  it  proclaims  regeneration  to  the 
depraved —  sudden,  radical.     That  is  as  we  believe  it  should  be. 

"  But  now  for  the  evidences  of  regeneration.  Of  course,  as  he  was  not 
to  return  to  society,  we  could  not  look  for  those  which  would  be  furnished 
by  his  taking  his  position  there,  and  glorifying  God  by  obedience  to  his 
commands  in  the  ordinary  intercourse  of  men.  All  that  can  be  required 
is,  that  his  mental  exercises  and  his  expressions  exhibit  a  radical  change 
of  heart.  We  may  then  apply  two  texts  from  the  Scriptures.  Let  me 
repeat,  I  am  not  judging  the  man.  I  am  reviewing  the  judgment  vir- 
tually pronounced  by  another,  and  given  to  the  public;  whether  cor- 
rectly or  imperfectly,  we  speak  of  it  only  as  the  public  have  received  it. 
When  men  came  to  Christ  and  inquired,  '  What  shall  we  do  that  we  might 
work  the  works  of  God?  '  he  replied,  '  This  is  the  work  of  God,  that  ye 
believe  on  Him  whom  He  hath  sent.' x  When  Jesus  sent  forth  his  apos- 
tles to  preach  the  gospel,  He  bade  them  tell  every  creature  this,  '  He  that 
belie veth  and  is  baptized  shall  be  saved,  he  that  belie veth  not  shall  be 
damned.'2  When  the  apostles  preached  the  way  of  salvation,  they  pro- 
claimed '  repentance  toward  God  and  faith  toward  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ.'3 
Did  this  man  give  evidence  of  repentance  toward  God?  He  had  regret; 
but  that  is  not  repentance.  He  had  remorse.  He  professed  repentance 
toward  the  friends  of  the  deceased.  But  was  he  penitent  toward  his 
injured  benefactor  ?  Had  he  been,  might  we  not  have  looked  for  the 
expression  of  forgiveness  for  what  he  had  once  thought  worthy  of  death 
in  his  friend?  Did  he  show  himself  ready  to  meet  that  man  in  the  pure 
and  peaceful  society  of  heaven?  But,  chiefly,  was  there  evidence  of 
repentance  toward  God  ?  For  one,  I  must  answer,  I  have  not  seen  it. 
'  Against  thee,  thee  only,  have  I  sinned,'  once  exclaimed  a  penitent. 
We  ask  not  for  the  repetition  of  this  language ;  but  we  look  for  the  spirit 
of  it  in  every  penitent.  We  longed  to  see  that  dreadful  perjury  in  the 
petition  to  the  governor  acknowledged  and  repented  of.  And  did  he 
believe  in  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ?  If  he  did,  he  does  not  say  so.  As, 
then,  an  exhibition  to  the  world  of  what  are  the  evidences  which  should 
satisfy  a  dying  man  that  he  is  prepared  to  enter  heaven,  I  feel  con- 
strained to  say,  it  is  not  in  accordance  with  the  Scriptures. 

"There  is  yet  one  other  theological  point  essentially  connected  with 
this  case. 

"  6.  The  Forgiveness  of  Sin.  If  the  gospel  is  glad  tidings  only  to 
moral  people,  and  was  designed  to  comfort  men  that  have  never  exposed 
themselves  to  the  divine  displeasure,  then  it  was  not  the  gospel  that  poor 
man  needed.     He  wanted  pardon,  deliverance  from  'the  wrath  to  come.' 

"  But  he  was  assured  of  forgiveness;  and  on  what  ground?  Let  not 
men  of  science  scout  this  question  as  technical  and  trivial.  They  see 
every  process  of  nature  based  on  a  principle.  And  it  is  only  in  answer 
l  John  vi.  28,  29.  2  Mark  xvi.  16.  3  Acts  xx.  21. 


MINISTERIAL  LABORS   IN  BOSTON.  215 

to  such  inquiries  that  science  advances,  yea,  exists.  Let  not  statesmen  or 
jurists  treat  it  lightly.  The  principle  involved  in  the  enactment  of  a  law, 
or  in  an  act  of  diplomacy,  may  be  infinitely  more  important  than  the  im- 
mediate interests  involved  in  the  law  or  the  act.  Does  God  proclaim 
forgiveness  absolutely  and  universally,  or  conditionally?  If  conditionally, 
do  the  conditions  limit  both  himself  and  the  transgressor  seeking  forgive- 
ness ?  Judging  from  such  light  as  we  have,  this  man  hoped  for  pardon 
on  the  ground  of  divine  mercy  alone,  and  on  the  alone  condition  of  re- 
pentance. Then  he  was  misled ;  for  God  is  restricted  in  the  exercise  of 
forgiveness  by  his  justice.  He  must  have  respect  to  the  sacrifice  of  Christ 
in  pardoning  sin,  as  the  ground  of  pardon,  and  to  the  sinner's  faith  in 
Christ  crucified  as  the  condition  of  pardon.  That  is  the  gospel.  The 
other  may  be  the  theology  of  some  men's  reason,  but  it  is  not  the  theology 
of  God's  word.  It  is  the  light  contained  in  heathen  systems,  but  not  the 
light  of  Christianity.  If  the  gospel  affords  any  hope  for  the  sinner 
situated  as  this  man  was,  it  must  present  two  doctrines  to  him:  Regener- 
ation by  divine  power,  and  atonement  by  the  voluntary  self-sacrifice  of  a 
divine  Redeemer.  He  had  committed  an  enormous  crime.  Guilt  was  on 
him.  Human  government  found  it  there;  divine  government  equally 
found  it  there.  What  shall  be  done  with  it?  Human  government  says, 
Nothing  will  secure  the  ends  of  justice,  and  the  public  welfare,  but  blood. 
Divine  government  says,  '  Without  shedding  of  blood  is  no  remission  ; ' 
'  the  blood  of  Christ  cleanseth  from  all  sin.'  x  If  Christ  has  not  made 
atonement  for  this  murder,  it  never  can  be  forgiven.  And  you  ought  to 
tell  him  so.  It  is  gloomy  ;  but  if  it  is  true,  he  should  know  it.  If  you 
proclaim  pardon  on  the  condition  of  repentance  alone,  tell  him,  at  the 
same  time,  that  it  is  in  disregard  of  a  large  portion  of  the  Bible,  which 
represents  it  as  impossible  that  God  could  have  pardoned  sin,  if  Christ 
had  not  died  for  it,  and  that  He  cannot  pardon  our  sins  unless  we  have 
faith  in  that  blood  as  cleansing  us  from  sin. 

"  The  world  is  now  to  believe  that  this  man  was  regenerated  by  the 
power  of  his  friend,  and  not  by  the  supernatural  power  of  the  Holy  Spirit. 
Murder  and  perjury  have  been  forgiven  without  any  faith  in  the  atone- 
ment of  Christ.  A  dying  man  may  be  calm  and  firm  without  having  his 
mind  at  all  on  Christ.  The  true  policy  is  to  divert  his  thoughts  in 
death.  The  world  is  to  believe  that  he  has  gone  to  heaven,  not  by  trust- 
ing in  Christ,  but  by  being  sorry  that  he  has  done  wrong.  In  all  the 
solemn  scene  of  that  hour,  when  his  spirit  is  to  present  itself  before  its 
holy  Judge,  not  an  allusion  is  made  even  to  the  name  of  Him  who  ap- 
peared on  earth  to  save  our  souls  from  sin  and  hell.  We  look  in  vain, 
in  all  that  account,  to  find  one  mention  of  those  blessed  names,  Redeemer, 
Jesus,  Christ,  Saviour.  They  are  not  there.  The  fifteenth  chapter  of 
first  Corinthians  is  represented  as  affording  him  great  consolation;  but 

i  Heb.  ix.  22;  1  John  i.  7. 


216  LIFE   OF  EDWARD   NORMS   KIRK. 

no  allusion  is  made  to  the  distinguishing  fact,  that  it  is  '  they  that  are 
Christ's,'  '  they  that  are  fallen  asleep  in  Christ,'  that  are  to  be  gloriously 
raised.  We  hear  nothing  from  him  in  reference  to  that  victor's  shout 
with  which  the  apostle  there  closes  his  description  of  the  resurrection,  — 
'  Thanks  be  to  God,  who  giveth  us  the  victory  through  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ.' 

"  As  we  understand  it,  a  soul  has  been  sent  into  the  presence  of  God 
utterly  disregarding  the  '  cross  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,'  which  exhibits 
the  supreme  glory  of  God  in  meeting  the  exigencies  of  our  apostasy,  in 
recovering  and  healing  our  souls.  Paul  renounced  everything  he  might 
count  good  in  himself,  that  he  might  '  win  Christ,  and  be  found  in  Him, 
not  having  his  own  righteousness,  which  is  of  the  law,  but  that  which  is 
through  the  faith  of  Christ,  the  righteousness  which  is  of  God  by  faith. ' x 

"Friends,  here  are  two  gospels.  The  one  is  from  God,  the  other 
from  men.  And  every  man  must  choose  on  his  soul's  peril  between 
them. 

"  This  case  then  contains  two  points  of  supreme  interest  to  us  all. 

"  We  see  the  evil  nature  of  sin,  and  God's  hatred  of  it.  The  case  is 
wonderful  as  an  exhibition  of  the  providence  of  God.  Concealment  gave 
this  man  the  hope  of  impunity  in  crime ;  concealment  aided  by  great 
skill,  and  the  most  favorable  position  for  preventing  detection.  But,  in 
the  prisoner's  own  expressive  language,  '  the  web  of  circumstances  '  en- 
tangled him.  It  was  a  web,  indeed  ;  it  always  is  a  web.  The  way  of 
transgressors  is  hard.  A  thousand  unseen  sentinels  keep  watch  for  God. 
And  they  will  appear  in  his  court  against  us,  and  often  at  man's  tribu- 
nals too.  But  sin  is  the  same  in  its  nature,  and  in  all  our  hearts.  To 
induce  each  of  us  to  dread  its  dominion  there,  to  repent  of  its  actions,  to 
seek  supremely  deliverance  from  its  guilt  and  its  power,  should  be  the 
first  result  of  this  case. 

"  We  see  here  the  preciousness  of  the  gospel.  If  sin  remains  unpar- 
doned, we  perish  ;  if  our  hearts  are  not  renewed  by  the  Sj^irit  of  God,  we 
perish.  This  is  the  very  blessing  the  gospel  offers  from  God.  '  If  any 
man  thirst,'  said  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  '  let  him  come  unto  me  and 
drink.  He  that  believeth  on  me,  out  of  his  belly  shall  flow  rivers  of  liv- 
ing water.  But  this  spake  He  of  the  Spirit,  which  they  that  believe  on 
Him  should  receive.'  "  2 

On  the  twenty-first  day  of  February,  1850,  the  "  Mount 
Vernon  Association  of  Young  Men "  was  formed  at  the 
suggestion  of  Dr.  Kirk.  Its  aim,  as  foreshadowed  by  his 
words,  was  the  mental  and  moral  improvement  of  the  young 
men  in  his  congregation.     At  the  first  meeting  twelve  signed 

i  Philippians  iii.  8,  9.  2  J0hn  vii.  37,  38,  39. 


MINISTERIAL  LABORS  IN  BOSTON.  217 

the  constitution.  Hundreds  were  afterwards  enrolled  in 
what  became  for  years  one  of  the  most  vigorous  associations 
in  the  Commonwealth. 

No  one  excelled  the  pastor  in  devotion  to  the  work  of  this 
society.  The  members  read  their  compositions,  declaimed, 
and  debated  in  his  presence  with  the  greatest  freedom,  though 
knowing  well,  all  the  while,  that  his  criticisms  would  not  be 
spared  on  account  of  their  feelings.  He  was  too  much  of 
an  artist  to  suppose  that  the  mental  sculptor,  in  producing 
pure  thought  in  others,  can  work  without  chisels.  He  never 
flattered  his  young  associates,  but  he  loved  them. 

The  usual  routine  of  such  associations  needs  no  elaborate 
description.  The  "  giants,"  following  with  more  brilliant 
effect  some  "  maiden  speech  "  of  a  novice,  spoke  with  feeling 
of  the  "  able  and  eloquent  effort "  of  their  colleague  (or  op- 
ponent) who  had  just  taken  his  seat ;  while  he,  abashed  and 
discomfited,  saw,  like  Disraeli,  in  his  first  awkward  attempt, 
his  only  hope  to  be  in  the  future.  The  parliamentary  tactics 
at  the  outset  might  have  surprised  Cushing  greatly  ;  but  the 
author  of  the  "  Manual  "  was  a  youth  once.  The  virtues  of 
manhood  were  sometimes  inculcated  with  a  dignity  rather 
unbending  for  men  so  young  ;  yet  as  artists  must  perfect 
themselves  in  drawing  straight  lines  before  they  can  produce 
the  more  graceful  curves,  even  so  the  dignified  dignity  and 
the  more  than  precise  precision  of  those  early  days  have 
given  many  men  of  strength  and  culture  to  honor  the  society 
in  which  they  have  maintained  their  places. 

Hardly  a  year  passed  but  that  he  addressed  this  associa- 
tion upon  some  public  occasion.  We  append  the  following 
both  for  its  historical  and  practical  importance.  It  was  de- 
livered November  26,  1860. 

"My  young  Brothers,  —  We  have  agreed  together  that  the  time 
has  come  for  a  brief  review  of  our  position,  and  a  stirring  up  of  the  zeal 
that  characterized  the  commencement  of  our  enterprise.  It  is  now 
nearly  eleven  years  since  this  association  was  organized.  And  if  we 
inquire  what  it  has  accomplished,  I  may  reply:  More  than  any  of  us  an- 
ticipated. 


218  LIFE   OF  EDWARD   NORRIS   KIRK. 

"  It  has  on  its  catalogue,  from  the  beginning,  three  hundred  and  four 
names.  Some  of  them  have  finished  their  earthly  course;  some  are  in 
remote  parts  of  the  land  and  the  world.  About  fifty  now  may  be  consid- 
ered as  its  active  members. 

"  By  this  organization  and  its  exercises  we  may  thankfully  affirm  that 
the  following  bene6ts  have  been  secured  :  — 

"  The  religious  character  of  our  young  men  has  been  cultivated  by 
conference  and  prayer,  and  intimate  Christian  friendship. 

"  The  social  character  has  been  cultivated". 

"  The  mind  has  been  educated. 

"Preparation  for  taking  part  in  the  conduct  of  public  affairs  has  been 
cultivated. 

"  A  powerful  influence  has  been  exerted  on  young  men  not  befoi*e  in- 
terested in  their  own  spiritual  welfare. 

"  A  strong  band  has  here  been  thrown  around  young  men  strangers. 

"My  object  is  now,  to  quicken  your  zeal,  and  to  call  the  attention  of 
such  young  men  among  us  as  are  not  in  the  institution,  to  its  claims  on 
them. 

"  The  writer  of  the  Epistle  to  the  Hebrews  displayed  the  characteris- 
tic wisdom  of  inspiration  in  penning  this  sentence:  'Forsake  not  the 
assembling  of  yourselves  together,  as  the  manner  of  some  is ;  but  exhort 
one  another;  and  so  much  the  more  as  ye  see  the  day  approaching.' 

"Man  must  do  some  of  his  most  important  work  of  self-cultivation 
alone.  But  it  is  not  good  for  him  to  be  always  alone.  For  his  own 
good,  and  for  the  good  of  others,  he  must  not  forsake  the  assembling 
with  others.  But  everything  depends  on  what  kind  of  assembling  is  in- 
tended. The  apostles  had  reference  mainly  to  meetings  for  directly  re- 
ligious purposes. 

"  It  is  a  very  interesting  thought  to  pursue:  in  what  different  relations 
men  may  meet  each  other;  for  what  various  purposes  organizations  can 
be  formed ;  and  what  different  results  may  come  from  their  meeting 
together. 

' '  When  two  men  engage  in  traffic,  they  call  into  exercise  not  the 
higher  faculties  of  our  nature.  Each  regards  the  other  chiefly  as  an 
instrument  of  promoting  his  own  interests.  Memory  and  judgment  may 
be  cultivated  by  such  intercourse;  and  it  may  give  occasion  for  com- 
munion of  a  higher  kind.  But  we  want  something  very  different  from 
the  ordinary  intercourse  of  life  for  our  highest  cultivation.  For  this  pur- 
pose God  has  provided  religious  associations  and  assemblings,  that  we 
may  meet  and  recognize  in  each  other  our  nobler  nature  and  destiny. 
The  church,  and  its  various  meetings,  are  God's  means  of  cultivating 
in  man  the  character  that  fits  for  heaven. 

"  And  when  arrangements  can  be  made  within  the  church  to  employ 
any  peculiarities  of  condition,  which  shall  make  any  part  of  its  member- 
ship peculiarly  helpful  to  any  other,  it  is  wise  to  do  so. 


MINISTERIAL  LABORS   IN  BOSTON.  219 

"  To  encourage  you  in  reviving  the  spirit  of  your  institution,  and  in  in- 
viting others  to  partake  of  its  benefits,  I  will  call  your  more  particular 
attention  to  the  capabilities  of  such  a  society,  already  suggested ;  and 
which  your  experience  has  fully  tested. 

"I.  It  can  promote  your  religious  interests.  To  advance  in  a  knowledge 
of  God,  in  the  love  of  God,  in  the  faith  of  Christ,  in  brotherly  love  ;  in 
zeal  for  human  welfare,  is  an  end  you  here  seek.  The  very  proposing 
such  an  object  is  ennobling.  To  meet  each  other  in  that  capacity,  to 
recognize  each  in  the  other  an  immortal  being,  a  redeemed  spirit,  a  cliild 
of  God  and  heir  of  heaven,  is  ennobling.  To  pray  together  is  a  benefit ; 
to  compare  your  views  of  the  word  of  God,  to  stimulate  each  other  to 
more  earnestness  in  the  service  of  Christ,  is  one  of  the  most  profitable 
employments  of  your  time.  A  sincere  man,  in  the  exercise  of  faith,  never 
goes  to  a  religious  assembly  in  vain.  Our  young  brethren  have  been 
blessed  of  God  in  assembling  together  as  young  Christians  for  his  worship. 
That  you  have  made  the  progress  you  should,  I  cannot  affirm.  Nor  can 
I  say  how  much  less  you  would  have  made  had  you  not  employed  this 
auxiliary.  That  it  has  been  a  blessing  to  you  and  to  the  church,  I  fully 
believe.  The  very  fact  that  our  young  brethren  feel  a  confidence  in  en- 
deavoring to  exhort  or  pray  in  your  meetings,  which  they  cannot  at  first 
feel  in  the  general  meeting,  is  one  feature  of  its  excellence.  This  asso- 
ciation cultivates:  — 

"II.  The  social  elements  of  character.  General  religious  meetings  must 
preserve  a  degree  of  order  that  does  not  admit  of  free  social  intercourse. 
But  your  association  provides  for  that,  by  a  class  of  meetings  which  re- 
moves these  restraints.  One  of  the  not  few  benefits  of  a  college  life  is, 
that  it  lays  the  foundation  for  some  of  the  most  valuable  friendships. 
The  very  nature  of  their  common  pursuits;  their  intimate  intercourse  at 
a  period  when  the  whole  being  is  just  expanding  its  receptive  faculties 
to  their  utmost  capacity,  contribute  to  make  the  acquaintances  of  college 
life  very  valuable  ever  afterwards.  But  this  is  your  college.  Here  you 
are  under  an  intellectual  and  a  spiritual  training,  somewhat  different,  and 
yet  much  like  that  of  a  college.  The  past  fifteen  years  have  manifested 
here  this  benefit  of  the  association,  and  the  church  has  felt  the  value  of 
a  compact  band  of  young  men  who  know  each  other  intimately,  love  each 
other  cordially,  and  are  together  cultivating  mind  and  heart.  Another 
benefit  of  the  association  is:  — 

"  III.  Intellectual.  Our  little  library  has  been  the  pilgrim's  staff  which 
has  helped  some  to  begin  their  march  in  the  paths  of  general  knowledge, 
to  which  they  have  felt  themselves  greatly  indebted.  The  debates  have 
been  very  valuable  to  many.  They  have  led  to  a  research,  which,  but 
under  such  a  stimulus,  would  never  have  been  made.  It  has  led  to  an 
earnest,  independent  thinking,  which  is  one  indispensable  element  of 
manhood.     And  this,  with  your  declamatory  exercises,  has  been  signally 


220  LIFE   OF  EDWARD  NORMS   KIRK. 

successful  in  teaching  you  to  speak  with  propriety  and  force.  I  know  no 
other  place  or  employment  beside  such  associations  where  our  young  men, 
not  taking  a  college-course,  can  be  trained  for  the  conducting  of  public 
meetings  for  discussion  or  action;  and  especially  for  addressing  such 
meetings  with  ease,  propriety,  and  effect.  And  yet  under  no  other  politi- 
cal institutions  beside  our  own  is  this  attainment  so  important  for  young 
men.  Your  greatest  deficiency  has  been  in  the  department  of  composi- 
tion, and  so  important  do  I  deem  that,  that  I  would  advise  you  to  under- 
take some  course  of  exercises  which  shall  have  a  tendency  to  develop 
the  power  of  writing. 

"  There  is  another  part  of  mental  discipline,  which  even  our  college- 
courses  do  not  furnish,  but  which  powerfully  affects  our  entire  life.  I 
allude  to  the  whole  subject  of  evidence;  believing;  the  formation  of 
opinion;  included  essentially  under  the  term  Moral  Evidence.  If  it 
were  once  set  fairly  before  your  minds,  you  would  not  rest  satisfied  with- 
out coming  to  a  tolerably  full  survey  of  that  subject.  Most  men  pass 
their  entire  lives  entertaining  as  truth,  prejudices,  delusions,  sophisms, 
false  estimates,  and  errors  on  all  subjects  ;  and  this  in  consequence  of 
their  entire  ignorance  of  those  principles  which  should  regulate  the  for- 
mation of  opinions. 

"  If  the  thing  were  feasible  I  should  be  happy  to  form  a  class  simply 
for  the  study  of  this  subject.  But  I  state  this,  not  in  the  hope  of  realiz- 
ing so  desirable  an  object,  but  to  induce  you  to  turn  your  attention  to  it. 

"  Your  association,  imperfect  as  it  may  be,  tends  to  make  a  four- 
square manhood ;  for,  as  one  remarks,  reading  makes  a  full  man,  writing, 
an  accurate  man,  talking,  a  ready  man.  And,  I  would  add,  thinking 
is  necessary  to  make  any  kind  of  a  man. 

"  There  is  then  another  effect  of  the  association  to  be  noticed,  — 

"IV.  Its  influence  on  young  men  who  come  as  strangers  to  the  city. 
This  commends  your  association  strongly  to  the  favor  of  all  good  men. 
The  perils  of  a  strange  city  to  a  young  man  are  peculiar.  But  God  has 
helped  in  this  matter.  And  pious  parents  and  pastors  throughout  the 
country  should  be  thankful  to  God  and  to  our  young  brethren  for  it. 
The  same  probability  does  not  now  exist  that  once  existed,  of  the  vices 
and  follies  of  the  city  ruining  such  young  men.  No  one  can  overestimate 
the  advantage  of  their  finding;  here  a  strong;  band  of  young;  men  at  once 
to  shield  them,  and  to  give  them  a  safe  channel  for  the  gratification  of 
their  social  feelings. 

"  In  the  matter  of  joining  such  an  association  every  young  man  in  this 
society  must  be  his  own  judge.  We  believe  in  no  dictation,  we  indulge 
in  none.  But  we  may  meet  some  objections  sometimes  heard,  and  ask 
for  a  revision  of  them.  It  is  said,  '  I  have  not  the  time  to  attend  the 
exercises.'  How  then  do  you  employ  the  time  allotted  to  them  ?  If  in 
something  to  which  God  calls  you  ;  if  in  something  in  which  as  much 


MINISTERIAL  LABORS   IN  BOSTON.  221 

good  is  to  be  gained  and  imparted,  that  det<»-mines  tin.  question.  But  if 
it  arises  from  thinking  you  need  no  such  helps,  religiously  or  intellectually, 
you  may  be  in  error;  probably  are  so. 

"  I  trust,  then,  that  a  new  impulse  may  be  given  to  this  valuable  insti- 
tution, ;iiid  that  all  our  young  men  may  feel  inclined  to  combine  together 
for  their  own  and  the  general  benefit. 

"  And  now,  young  brethren,  I  commend  you  and  your  efforts  to  our 
gracious  Lord.  Oh  !  if  He  blesses,  you  are  blessed  indeed.  Let  your 
association  be  consecrated  to  Him,  not  formally,  not  in  words,  but  really 
Then  your  enthusiasm  will  never  diminish,  but  increase;  every  exercise 
will  be  an  act  of  friendship  and  loyalty.  If  your  dear  Friend,  your 
chief  Friend,  who  is  at  the  same  time  your  Sovereign  and  tin-  Prince  of 
Heaven,  looks  on  this  association  as  devoted  to  Him,  if  He  loves  it  as  an 
instrument  in  his  service,  a  company  drilling  for  his  holy  battles,  then 
you  may  well  love  it,  and  prize  its  exerci-es.  When  the  apostle  says, 
'  Exhort  one  another,  and  so  much  the  more  as  ye  see  the  day  approach- 
ing,' he  had  in  view  two  facts  :  the  immense  importance  of  our  social 
influence,  and,  the  shortness  of  the  period  of  working.  Watch  over  one 
another,  care  for  one  another,  speak  the  seasonable  word  to  one  another, 
impart  to  each  other  the  light  you  have  received.  And  so  much  the 
more  as  you  see  one  of  your  number  passing  away,  and  another  following; 
so  much  the  more  as  you  see  the  mighty  current  of  time  rolling  past  the 
great  landmarks;  so  much  the  more  as  the  day  of  accounts,  the  day  of 
rewards  and  glorious  coronation  for  faithful  laborers  is  approaching. 
Mighty  events  in  the  world  are  but  streaks  of  the  morning  light  flashing 
on  the  horizon.  Kind  out  what  is  best  to  be  done;  and  then  do  it  with 
your  might,  for  the  day  is  approaching." 


In  his  estimate  as  to  the  value  of  such  an  association  in 
giving  a  nobler  character  to  life,  Dr.  Kirk  was  not  mistaken. 
Nothing  was  too  trivial  for  his  attention.  Faults  of  gram- 
mar and  of  manner  must  be  overcome.  He  counseled  pa- 
tience toward  those  whose  tastes  inclined  to  the  bright  and 
more  "  flashy  "  colors  both  of  speech  and  appearance,  know- 
ing well  that  these  tendencies,  rightly  educated,  may  be  sup- 
planted by  a  taste  subdued  and  beautiful.  Simple  and  severe 
in  his  own  tastes,  he  admired  simplicity  and  severity  in  others. 
"  Dress  well !  "  he  used  to  say,  "  but  wear  nothing  marked 
by  which  attention  will  be  drawn  from  yourself  to  your  ap- 
parel. Many  a  man  has  been  spoiled  by  a  showy  watch- 
guard."     The  Mount  Vernon  Association,  like  its  prototype 


222  LIFE   OF  EDWARD  NORMS   KIRK. 

in  Albany,  has  proved  to  be  a  power  that  cannot  be  over- 
looked in  recording  the  work  of  its  founder  and  guardian. 

Mr.  Kirk  was  now  in  the  period  of  his  greatest  power. 
Honored  everywhere,  it  is  not  strange  that  other  churches 
should  invite  him  to  their  fields.  Among  all  these  invita- 
tions was  one  from  a  new  Presbyterian  church  about  to  be 
formed  in  Philadelphia.  A  committee  of  five,  one  of  whom 
was  the  Rev.  Albert  Barnes,  came  on  to  Boston  to  enforce 
the  claims  expressed  in  the  letter-missive.  Mr.  Kirk  weighed 
each  argument  carefully,  yet  knew  not  what  decision  to 
make.  The  strangers  were  invited  to  meet  the  Committee 
of  Mount  Vernon  Church  in  order  to  discuss  the  subject. 
Letters  were  sent  him  in  great  numbers,  urging  his  atten- 
tion upon  one  point  or  another.  No  one  knew  what  the 
issue  would  be.  At  last  the  answer  was  given ;  he  decided 
to  remain  among  his  devoted  people. 

Upon  this  decision,  a  member  of  his  church  remarked, 
"  Well,  I  hope  we  shall  not  worship  him."  Mrs.  F.,  an  aged 
lady  belonging  to  his  church,  was  so  warmly  attached  to  her 
pastor  as  to  make  him  a  continual  subject  of  conversation. 

Her  friend  Mrs. ,  also  an  excellent  Christian  woman, 

not  a  member  of  his  church  nor  even  personally  acquainted 
with  him,  became  very  weary  of  the  oft-repeated  theme,  and 
relieved  her  feelings  by  remarking  one  day,  that "  If  Mr.  Kirk 
should  be  taken  away,  she  was  thankful  the  Bible  would  be 
left!" 

The  reply  sent  to  the  committee  from  Philadelphia  was 
one  of  more  than  local  interest :  — 

"  To  John  A.  Brown,  William  McKee,  Thomas  Fleming,  Esqs., 

and  others: 

"Gentlemen, — The  request  that  I  would  become  the  pastor  of  a 
church  about  to  be  organized  has  now  been  carefully  considered.  It 
has  been  stated  before  the  face  of  our  common  Lord,  with  supplication 
that  Ave  might  all  know  and  do  his  will.  The  result  of  this  reflection  is, 
that  it  does  not  appear  to  me  desirable  to  exchange  my  present  field  of 
labor  for  that  proposed  by  you.  This  decision  is  stated  thus  distinctly, 
concisely,  and  in  the  opening  of  this  communication,  that,  having  thus 
disposed  of  that  which  is  of  chief  practical  importance  to  you,  I  may  be 


MINISTERIAL  LABORS   IN   BOSTON.  223 

at  liberty  to  lay  aside  the  man  of  business,  and  speak  to  you  all  as 
brothers  and  friends. 

"  Your  application  has  produced  in  me  a  strong  and  painful  conflict  of 
emotions.  From  the  first,  I  did  not  believe  that  any  closer  survey  of  my 
relations  to  Boston  and  Philadelphia  would  produce  a  conviction  that 
my  sphere  of  action  was  to  be  changed  at  present.  Nor,  in  any  stage  of 
my  investigations,  has  it  at  all  appeared  to  me  that  such  was  my  duty. 
And  as  it  is  duty,  and  only  that,  which  should  be  considered  in  such  a 
case,  feelings,  so  far  as  possible,  have  been  held  in  suspense.  But  their 
turn  has  now  come;  and  it  is  proper  that  they  should  find  at  least  a  par- 
tial utterance.  It  is  right  you  should  know  that  while  I  have  had  to  sit 
as  judge  between  two  conflicting  claims,  the  heart  of  a  man  has  beat 
beneath  the  ermine;  and  that,  if  not  your  pastor,  I  regard  myself  as 
henceforth,  more  strongly  than  ever,  bound  to  you  by  those  ties  which  are 
more  enduring  even  than  the  pastoral  tie. 

"  On  returning  from  Europe  in  1839,  I  was  led,  in  the  providence  of 
God,  to  preach  the  gospel  in  many  of  the  larger  towns  of  the  United 
States.  The  recollections  of  that  period  are  full  of  intense  interest  to 
me,  as  well  as  to  many  others.  That  form  of  professional  labor  being 
necessarily  temporary,  I  looked  for  a  permanent  field  of  ministerial 
labor.  Each  of  the  chief  cities  presented  its  peculiar  attractions,  espe- 
cially Boston  and  Philadelphia.  But  I  was  a  captain  '  under  authority, 
and  what  had  I  to  do  with  choosing  a  battle-field  in  reference  to  climate, 
personal  friendships,  or  any  other  considerations  of  a  personal  nature? 
The  Commander-in-chief  seemed  to  stand  before  me,  as  before  Joshua, 
and  to  say,  'Go  up,  and  plant  my  blood-stained  banner  there  where  my 
Deity  and  my  great  atonement  are  rejected.'  '  Go  in  this  thy  might,  and 
contend  earnestly  for  the  faith  once  delivered  to  the  saints.'  And  'im- 
mediately, I  conferred  not  with  flesh  and  blood  ;  nor  was  I  disobedient 
to  the  heavenly  vision.'  I  came;  and  am  thankful  for  it.  And  here  I 
remain,  simply  because  I  do  not  yet  see  my  specific  work  completed;  or 
a  call  from  abroad,  making  it  clear  that  I  ought  to  abandon  that  work. 
Tender  friendships  bind  me  here;  but  they  do  not  determine  my  duty. 

"  Be  assured,  gentlemen,  that  this  cordial  invitation  from  old  friends 
and  new  friends,  presented  in  writing,  and  enforced  by  the  personal 
visit  of  a  part  of  your  number,  found  its  way  to  the  fountains  of  my 
heart.  Reminiscences  were  revived ;  the  freshness  of  feelings  was  proved 
to  be  unimpaired  by  the  passage  of  years,  or  by  my  transition  into  the 
first  stages  of  senility.  I  love  you  all  as  much,  nay,  more  than  ever, 
since  I  see  your  affection  so  unabated.  Your  love  is  among  the  jewels 
treasured  in  my  heart.     God  has  taught  me  the  worth  of  such  affection. 

"  And  should  I  here  go  into  particulars,  it  would  require  an  extended 
document  to  do  justice  to  the  feelings  long  cherished,  often  forgotten, 
now  called  into  vivid  exercise.     I  should  begin  with  Albert  Barnes,  first 


224  LIFE    OF   EDWARD   NORMS   KIRK. 

in  the  order  of  time,  and  (none  of  you  will  take  offence,  if  I  say)  first  in 
the  veneration  and  cherished  love  of  my  heart.  His  image  was  daguerre- 
otyped  on  my  soul  in  1822.  As  I  entered  the  chapel  of  the  Theological 
Seminary  in  Princeton,  he  was  sitting  by  a  table,  holding  the  pen  as 
Secretary  to  the  Missionary  Society.  For  an  instant,  I  fancied  it  was 
the  '  beloved  disciple  '  sitting  there  before  me.  I  have  known  him  now 
for  thirty  years;  in  the  school  of  the  prophets,  and  in  the  school  of  afflic- 
tion; in  the  labors  of  his  ministerial  office  and  in  his  peculiar  trials; 
and  I  must  here  record  it,  that  not  a  line  of  that  lovely  picture  has  been 
effaced  by  anything  he  has  said  or  done.  To  stand  by  him  in  health;  to 
learn  of  his  wisdom  and  imitate  his  goodness  ;  to  give  him  my  sympa- 
thies in  his  work,  would  have  been  a  great  privilege.  But  now  that  he 
is  passing  through  deep  waters ;  now  that  he  can  merely  look  on,  and 
see  the  shifting  phases  of  the  conflict,  without  being  able  to  lift  a  hand, 
most  gladly  would  I  be  one  of  those  that  should  try  to  '  supply  his  lack 
of  service.' 

"  And  thus  I  might  pass  through  one  third  of  your  list,  referring  to 
those  whom  I  know  personally,  and  state  the  impressions  produced  by 
this  expression  of  their  desires,  and  by  the  painful  necessity  of  refusing 
to  meet  their  wishes. 

"  Allow  me,  gentlemen,  to  say  that  I  am  surprised  at  the  unanimity 
and  earnestness  of  the  call  you  have  presented  to  me.  Such  expectations 
as  your  proceedings  imply  must  surely  have  met  with  some  disappoint- 
ment, had  I  complied  with  it.  Without  extraordinary  aid  from  God,  I 
could  not  have  met  such  expectations.  On  that  aid  I  might  have  relied, 
indeed,  could  I  have  been  sure  that  He  called,  as  well  as  you.  On  your 
friendship  and  cooperation  I  could  rely,  and  should  have  relied,  without 
any  reserve,  but  the  work  you  appointed  me  to  do  would  require  a 
supernatural  and  special  aid  from  on  high;  without  it,  all  human  help  is 
vain. 

"When  I  think  of  your  enterprise,  my  soul  is  stirred  within  me. 
Your  call  is  to  me  like  the  thrilling  note  of  the  trumpet  to  the  war-horse. 
Invasion,  aggression,  annexation,  are  the  true  orthodox  doctrines  when 
the  question  lies  between  Christ  and  Belial.  You  offer  me  just  the  kind 
of  work  I  love  to  perform.  And  you  are  just  the  kind  of  men  with 
whom  I  love  to  work.  Your  future  movements  will  therefore  be  very 
interesting  to  me  ;  and  my  prayers  shall  be  for  your  most  abundant  suc- 
cess. 

"May  the  Lord  from  on  high  guide  you  to  the  choice  of  a  leader  in 
this  great  enterprise.  May  his  richest  blessings  descend  upon  you  all, 
and  upon  your  families.     "  I  am,  gentlemen, 

"  Yours,  most  affectionately, 

"Edw.  N.  Kirk." 

"Boston,  January  28,  1853." 


MINISTERIAL  LABORS   IN  BOSTON.  225 

The  most  highly  gifted  men  have,  at  times,  dull  and 
sleepy  hearers  ;  occasionally  one  was  seen  in  Mount  Vernon 
Church.  One  such  we  recall,  scarce  honored  then.  Original 
remarks,  made  from  time  to  time,  had  revealed  the  fact  of 
an  active  mind  beneath  the  expressionless  face  —  that  was 
all.  A  country  boy,  he  chose  for  his  place  a  seat  in  one  of 
the  obscurest  pews  in  the  gallery.  Not  yet  had  his  soul  be- 
come imbued  with  the  New  Life.  Wearied  as  he  was  by 
the  arduous  toil  of  the  week,  not  even  the  prayers  of  his 
pastor  could  awaken  his  drowsy  spirit.  The  songs  of  wor- 
ship were  to  him  only  the  enchantments  of  dream-land. 
Text  and  sermon  fell  far  short  of  reaching  him.  The  old 
fabled  Morpheus  had  laid  the  young  man's  head  comfort- 
ably upon  the  arm  of  the  pew,  and  sleep  came,  —  "  sleep, 
that  knits  up  the  raveled  sleeve  of  care."  His  hearing  was 
closed  against  the  majestic  notes  of  the  organ  and  the  vol- 
ume of  praise  from  the  great  congregation  ;  Orpheus  was 
defeated.  The  closing  prayer  was  almost  spoken,  when  the 
heavy  hand  was  lifted  from  the  youth.  His  opening  eyes 
were  upon  a  devout  congregation,  and  his  ears  caught  the 
four  closing  words,  "  for  Christ's  sake.  Amen."  The  young 
man  received  the  benediction  with  the  rest  ;  but  on  his  way 
home,  the  words  came  ever  uppermost  —  "  for  Christ's  sake. 
Amen."  He  reached  his  room,  and  still  he  heard  them, — 
"  for  Christ's  sake.  Amen."  God  meant  to  use  him  to 
waken  other  and  heavier  sleepers,  —  to  make  whole  cities 
heed  his  voice.  He  was  to  be  a  chosen  vessel  "  for  Christ's 
sake,"  and  tens  of  thousands  aroused  by  his  words  have  re- 
sponded, "  Amen."  That  sleeping  youth  in  Mount  Vernon 
Church  was  Dwight  L.  Moody ;  and  the  last  words  of  that 
closing  prayer,  leading  to  his  conversion,  have  become  the 
motto  of  a  life  which  alone  would  be  a  glory  to  any  church 
and  pastor,  —  a  motto  very  simple,  but  covering  time  and 
eternity  :  "  For  Christ's  sake.     Amen." 

His  pastor  thus  analyzed  this  great  event  even  before  such 
cities  as  Edinburgh,  New  York,  Philadelphia,  and  Boston, 
had  felt  his  power :  — 

15 


226  LIFE   OF  EDWARD   NORRIS   KIRK. 

"  In  the  autumn  of  1855  I  met  a  young  man  who  had  been  brought 
up  in  a  Unitarian  church,  in  a  family  which  never  assembled  for  prayer. 
He  was  as  ignorant  of  the  Scriptures  as  one  must  be  who  never  reads 
them  nor  hears  them  in  the  family  ;  and  only  fragments  of  them  twice  a 
week  in  the  public  services.  His  uncle,  a  member  of  Mount  Vernon 
Church,  induced  him,  on  coming  to  this  city  a  stranger,  to  attend  the 
Sunday-school.  Being  absent  the  second  Sunday,  his  teacher  went  on 
Monday  morning  to  inquire  into  the  reason.  The  young  man,  with 
characteristic  candor,  replied  :  '  I  found  myself  so  ignorant  of  the  Bible 
and  of  the  Christian  religion,  surrounded  by  young  men  to  whom  both 
were  so  familiar,  that  I  was  ashamed  to  appear  among  them  again.'  But 
his  faithful  teacher  overcame  his  reluctance,  and  induced  him  to  return 
to  the  school. 

"  In  reflecting  .on  his  case,  I  see  what  the  Scriptures  mean  by  the 
doctrine  of  election  ;  and  I  sec  what  Jesus  intended  when  He  said  to  his 
disciples  :  '  Other  men  have  labored  and  ye  have  entered  into  their 
labors.'  There  has  been  too  much  one-sidedness  in  the  majority  of  the 
narrations  I  have  ever  seen  or  heard  which  describe  either  local  revivals 
or  individual  cases  of  conversion.  The  people  of  Jesus'  day  were  feel- 
ing, unconsciously,  the  effect  of  a  resolution  made  by  one  man  in  the 
court  of  Pharaoh,  amid  the  darkness  of  Egyptian  paganism,  fifteen  cent- 
uries before  that  time.  Somewhere  in  that  court  was  Moses,  pondering 
the  mysteries  of  human  life,  probably  in  the  vigor  of  his  manhood.  His 
choice  to  suffer  affliction  with  the  people  of  God,  and  to  abandon  the 
splendid  pleasures  of  sin,  was  made  :  he  decided  that  the  reproach  of 
Christ  was  greater  riches  than  the  treasures  of  Egypt.  Out  of  that  one 
decision  came,  by  the  grace  of  God,  the  wondrous  history  of  the  Exodus, 
the  fifteen  centuries  of  the  history  of  the  ancient  Church,  —  may  we 
not  say,  in  one  sense,  the  whole  of  what  is  most  glorious  in  modern  his- 
tory? Is  it  exaggeration  to  say  that  every  convert  to  Christ  is  affected 
by  that  one  choice? 

"  No  human  eye  can  trace  the  threads  of  influence  that  were  that  day 
weaving  the  web  of  Moody's  character  and  destiny,  and  of  those  of 
millions  that  are  yet  to  live.  Who  was  first  in  this  mighty  work  of  con- 
verting that  one  soul?  Was  it  his  pastor,  or  his  uncle?  his  teacher,  or 
Gabriel?  Is  there  unity  in  the  boundless  variety  of  human  history? 
Are  the  results  of  human  actions  utterly  unanticipated  even  by  the  Om- 
niscient? Are  they  not  all  executions  of  a  purpose  infinitely  wise,  holy, 
and  good?  If  so,  that  is  election;  and  Moody  was  elected  to  eternal 
life.  How  unbecoming  the  chisel  of  Michael  Angelo,  to  rise  in  the  pres- 
ence of  his  statue  of  Moses,  and  say,  '  What  a  mighty  chisel  I  am !  I 
made  Moses !  '  Such  is  too  much  the  mode  of  speaking  about  the  instru- 
ments in  revival  and  conversion. 

"In  a  few  days  Moody  was  among  the  inquirers  after  the  way  of  life. 


MINISTERIAL  LABORS   IN  BOSTON.  227 

He  soon  avowed  himself  a  disciple  of  Christ,  but  on  presenting  himself 
as  a  candidate  for  church  membership,  he  displayed  nothing  but  his 
earnestness  and  want  of  acquaintance  with  the  scriptural  views  of  Chris- 
tian character  and  life;  or,  more  probably,  his  case  was  an  instance 
showing  that  we,  his  examiners,  were  too  far  routinists  and  wanting  in 
sympathy  with  Him  who  was  then  laying  the  foundations  of  the  temple 
of  God  in  that  human  soul.  We  could  not  conscientiously  propose  him 
to  the  church.  Pained,  but  not  discouraged,  he  waited  through  one  or 
two  terms.  At  last  we  Baw  Bome  faint  evidences  of  conversion  which 
justified  us  in  recommending  him  to  the  church.'' 

As  the  days  and  years  of  Dr.  Kirk's  ministry  moved  on- 
ward, the  commonest  duties,  as  well  as  those  of  greater  mark, 
were  carefully  performed.  Letters  from  London,  Paris,  Edin- 
burgh, Glasgow,  and  Dublin  came  asking  his  wise  counsel. 
Missionaries,  drawn  by  his  reputation,  confided  to  him  their 
troubles.  Persons  about  to  visit  Europe  came  to  him  for 
preparatory  suggestions.  Church  committees  inquired  of 
him  concerning  some  candidate;  and  candidates  inquired 
concerning  churches.  Students  in  college  gave  him  their  his- 
tory. Letters  of  his  loving  flock  were  quickly  answered. 
So  lived  he,  "  known  and  read  of  all  men." 


CHAPTER  XII. 

WORK  IN  PARIS  AND  TOUR  IN  PALESTINE. 

1857. 

It  had  long  been  thought  desirable  to  supply  greater 
religious  advantages  to  those  of  our  countrymen  residing  in 
Paris.  The  American  and  Foreign  Christian  Union  under- 
took the  supervision  of  such  an  enterprise.  To  carry  out 
their  design  required  a  man  of  remarkable  powers.  He  must 
command  the  respect  and  love  of  the  highly  cultivated  as 
well  as  of  the  humbler  classes.  He  must  be  able  to  speak 
the  French  language  fluently.  He  must  be  a  man  of  good 
business  capacity.  And  last,  but  not  least,  he  must  be  a 
man  of  fervent  piety. 

The  society  immediately  looked  to  Dr.  Kirk.  The  call 
affected  both  himself  and  the  Mount  Vernon  Church.  It 
was  made  a  subject  of  much  thought  and  prayer  with  him  ; 
and  had  been  virtually  settled,  so  far  as  he  was  concerned, 
when  he  laid  the  whole  question  open  to  the  church.  It 
was  no  easy  matter  to  decide.  It  called  for  a  strong  self- 
denial,  to  say  that  he  should  be  absent  and  that  others 
should  occupy  the  pulpit  in  his  stead.  After  mature  delibera- 
tion, the  church  reluctantly,  yet  cheerfully,  acceded  to  the 
call. 

His  previous  residence  in  Paris  had  prepared  the  way  for 
such  a  work.  Welcomed  on  that  former  visit  by  pastor  and 
congregation,  he  had  for  many  months  preached  in  French 
in  the  Chapelle  Taitbout,  where  his  name  and  memory  are 
still  honored  and  cherished.  At  this  same  time,  in  the  win- 
ter of  1838-39,  Professor  Morse  was  in  Paris,  and  was  then 


WOEK  IN  PARIS   AND   TOUR  IN  PALESTINE.  229 

for  the  first  time  exhibiting  his  invention  of  the  telegraph  to 
the  savans  of  Europe.  Dr.  Kirk  associated  himself  with  him, 
—  was  his  companion  and  room-mate,  in  fact ;  and,  being  a 
fluent  speaker  of  the  French  language,  explained  the  instru- 
ment to  Arago,  Daguerre,  Humboldt,  and  others,  who  were 
invited  to  examine  it. 

The  memories  of  "  the  gay  city  "  were  not  effaced  in  the 
eighteen  years  intervening,  and  with  the  benediction  of  his 
loving  people  he  entered  upon  his  mission.  His  own  narra- 
tive will  invest  this  part  of  his  life-work  with  a  vivid  inter- 
est :  — 

"The  opportunities  of  usefulness  amid  the  whirl  and  wickedness  of 
Paris  surprised  me.  In  fact,  on  returning  home  and  repeating  much  I 
had  seen,  I  was  charged  with  exaggeration  and  misstatement.  One 
may  live  in  Paris  and  feel  that  he  is  in  a  world  without  souls;  and  come 
home  and  report  it  so.  One  may  live  in  Paris  and  find  that  there  are  a 
thousand  who  have  not  bowed  the  knee  to  Baal.  My  hope  for  France 
is  not  in  Thiers,  Gambetta,  or  Favre,  but  in  the  '  few  in  Sardis  who 
have  not  defiled  their  garments.'  One  may  live  in  Paris  and  not  pass  a 
day  without  an  opportunity  unobtrusively  to  repeat  to  some  dying  soul 
the  precious  words  of  Jesus. 

"  I  remember  two  servants  in  one  of  my  boarding-places  who  were  an 
embodiment  of  the  frivolous  pagan  spirit  of  Paris.  I  had  invited  some 
American  and  English  friends  to  assemble  in  my  apartments  to  form  an 
association  for  distributing  tracts  in  Paris.  I  had  always  found  French 
domestics  kind  and  obliging.  I  requested  these  two  to  prepare  a  slight 
collation  and  serve  my  friends  with  it  at  a  certain  hour  in  the  evening. 
It  was  a  very  pleasant  occasion,  which  we  closed  with  prayer.  As  soon 
as  the  friends  had  left  the  room,  this  man  and  woman  rushed  in,  laugh- 
ing violently,  and  fell  on  their  knees  by  the  side  of  a  chair.  In  those 
two  kneeling,  laughing  figures,  I  saw  France,  Paris,  semi-heathen  Paris, 
and  gave  vent  to  indignation  mollified  by  pity,  exclaiming,  'You  poor 
heathen ;  do  you  think  the  eternal  God  is  shut  up  in  your  papal  cathedrals 
and  churches,  and  that  his  children  cannot  address  Him  anywhere? 
You  have  never  seen  a  company  of  ladies  and  gentlemen  pass  a  social 
hour  delightfully,  and  then  together  thank  their  Father  for  the  enjoy- 
ment.    It  is  time  you  did.' 

"  But  the  spiritual  needs  of  our  own  countrymen  in  Paris  made  a 
constant  appeal  alike  to  one's  patriotism  and  piety.  I  will  relate  one 
(probably,  however,  an  extreme)  case.  To  state  it,  I  must  begin  at 
two  very  different   and  distant  points;  the  one  in  the  Rue  Chaussee 


230  LIFE   OF  EDWARD  NORMS  KIRK. 

d'Autin.  My  landlady  there,  like  each  of  the  three  I  had  met  in  Paris, 
was  kind,  generous,  ignorant  of  God.  I  conversed  with  her  freely  about 
her  soul,  I  fear  with  little  success.  But  she  received  from  me  courteously 
a  copy  of  the  Scriptures  in  French,  with  my  name  inserted  on  the  fly- 
leaf as  her  friend. 

"  We  now  go  to  New  York  city.  A  prominent  clergyman  there  had 
a  daughter  of  promising  talents  who  unfortunately  was  beguiled  into  an 
affection  for  her  music-teacher  (a  '  count,'  of  course).  He  took  her  to 
Paris.  She  married  him,  to  the  grief  of  her  parents;  but,  alas!  the 
brilliant  vision  soon  vanished,  and  the  poor  girl  found  she  had  exchanged 
a  home,  a  loving  father  and  mother,  for  a  man  morally  and  socially  be- 
neath her  —  unworthy  of  her.  To  escape  his  brutality,  she  fled  to  a 
boarding-house,  enlisted  the  sympathy  of  its  keeper,  and  procured  a 
hiding-place  in  the  fifth  or  sixth  story  of  the  building.  Knowing  that 
the  police  were  sent  by  her  husband  in  pursuit  of  her,  she  was  obliged 
to  conceal  herself  in  solitude  unrelieved  except  by  the  presence  of  her 
kind  hostess. 

"  We  must  now  return  again  to  New  York.  I  was  sitting  in  the 
obscure  light  of  a  room  in  which  was  exhibited  a  panorama  of  Jerusa- 
lem. A  gentleman  took  his  seat  by  my  side  whom  I  did  not  recog- 
nize, as  the  light  was  so  dim.  He,  however,  recognized  me,  and  said  he 
had  long  desired  to  relate  to  me  an  incident  which  had  not  only  revived 
the  memories  of  college  days,  but  also  formed  a  new  link  of  attachment 
to  me.  '  You  perhaps  remember,'  he  remarked,  '  my  unfortunate  daugh- 
ter who  was  bewitched  by  a  very  bad  man  and  went  with  him  to  Paris. 
He  there  made  her  life  wretched,  but,  to  my  great  relief,  I  one  day 
received  a  letter  urging  me  to  come  and  take  her  to  her  home.  I  hast- 
ened to  meet  my  child.  She  related  to  me  this  incident :  "  One  day," 
she  said,  "  as  I  sat  here  in  my  solitary  grief,  the  hopes  of  my  life  blasted, 
my  kind  hostess  came  to  me  and  inquired  what  she  could  do  to  help  me. 
I  replied,  But  one  thing:  my  flight  was  so  sudden  that  I  have  not  only 
left  many  articles  of  convenience,  but,  unspeakably  more  precious  to  me, 
my  hymn-book  and  my  Bible.  Oh,  exclaimed  the  kind-hearted  woman, 
I  have  your  Protestant  Bible !  She  brought  it.  I  opened  it.  Judge  of 
my  feelings  when  I  saw  on  the  fly-leaf  — 
'Madame  D., 

De  la  part  de  son  ami, 

<E.  N.  Kirk.' 

Here  was  my  father's  friend  providing  for  me!  A  Bible  was  an  angel 
of  God  to  my  burdened  soul."  '    (She  came  back  with  her  father.) 

"  This,  with  hundreds  of  instances  different  in  form  but  of  the  same 
import,  convinced  me  that  the  American  Church  ought  to  provide  a  con- 
venient, tasteful  house  of  worship  for  our  countrymen  temporarily  or  per- 


WORK  IN  PARIS   AND   TOUR  IN  PALESTINE.  231 

manently  in  Paris.  Accordingly,  when  the  directors  of  the  American 
and  Foreign  Christian  Union  invited  me  in  1856  to  go  to  Paris  and  to 
superintend  the  erection  of  a  chapel  for  the  services  of  our  countrymen 
there,  I  was  ready  to  accept  the  appointment." 

Reaching  Paris  in  January,  1857,  Dr.  Kirk  was  awak- 
ened in  the  morning  after  Lis  arrival  by  a  gentleman  till 
then  unknown  to  him.  His  first  announcement  was  re- 
garded as  a  direct  answer  to  many  an  anxious  prayer  con- 
cerning the  work.  It  was  Dr.  Thomas  Evans,  a  favorite  in 
the  emperor's  family,  having  a  European  celebrity  in  his 
profession  as  a  dentist.  He  apologized  for  intruding  so  early 
by  stating  that  he  had  awaited  his  arrival  with  great  anx- 
iety. It  seems  that  a  chapel  in  the  heart  of  the  city,  near 
the  residence  of  the  British  ambassador,  was  owned  by 
the  Rev. ,  an  Episcopal  rector,  who  had  become  dis- 
affected towards  his  countrymen  in  Paris,  had  closed  his 
ministry  there,  and  had  given  the  refusal  of  his  chapel  to 
Dr.  Evans.  The  latter  was  awaiting  Dr.  Kirk's  arrival 
to  offer  the  building  for  his  purposes  ;  but  he  remarked, 
"  The  English  are  exceedingly  opposed  to  having  the  build- 
ing pass  into  American  hands.  The  ambassador,  Lord  Cow- 
ley, has  informed  me  of  the  disturbance  this  offer  is  making 
among  his  countrymen,  and  has  requested  me  to  invite  you 
to  meet  him  as  early  as  possible."  The  two  went  that 
morning  to  Lord  Cowley's  office.  On  hearing  his  statement 
and  his  request  that  they  should  not  accept  the  offer  of 
the  chapel,  Dr.  Kirk  replied,  "  You  may  be  assured  nothing 
needless  will  be  done  by  me  that  shall  give  offense  to  our 
British  brethren ;  but  while  your  lordship  is  acting  under 
grave  responsibilities,  I,  in  a  more  limited  sphere,  equally 
represent  the  rights  and  interests  of  others."  The  chapel 
was  found  to  be  unsuited  to  their  purposes  ;  and  they  were 
accordingly  happy  thus  to  find  that  duty  did  not  compel 
them  to  wound  the  national  pride  of  others. 

Friends  of  the  chapel  enterprise  ought  to  know  how  much 
their  agent  was  indebted,  principally  to  Dr.  Evans,  and  to 
many  others,  for   their   kind    and   indispensable    assistance. 


232  LIFE   OF  EDWAED   NORMS   KIRK. 

The  first  work  to  be  done,  though  contrary  to  any  express 
stipulation  with  the  Union,  was  to  raise  the  money  requisite. 
Dr.  Kirk  found  himself  compelled  either  to  raise  the  funds 
by  personal  solicitation  or  to  abandon  the  enterprise.  "  Hav- 
ing once  had  experience  in  that  hard  service,  it  was  my  first 
annoyance  to  find  myself  shut  up  to  this  unpleasant  work. 
But,  to  the  honor  of  my  countrymen,  I  found  it  only  the  oc- 
casion of  forming  many  very  pleasant  acquaintances  ;  and,  to 
the  credit  of  our  Episcopal  friends,  my  largest  receipts  for 
this  Union  Evangelical  enterprise  were  from  members  of 
their  body." 

His  first  call  was  on  a  gentleman  who  had  already  sub- 
scribed to  the  chapel  fund.  From  him  was  received  the 
first  and  the  last  rude  reply.  He  was  an  eccentric  man,  and 
had  just  then  become  interested  in  another  church  enter- 
prise. He  talked  very  gravely  about  the  difficulties  of 
the  proposed  work,  and  of  his  doubts  concerning  its  feasi- 
bility. It  was  the  critical  moment  of  the  affair.  There  was 
no  middle  ground  to  be  taken.  If  this  man  represented  the 
feelings  of  Americans  there  was  nothing  else  to  do  but  return 
home.  The  subscription  paper  was  handed  him  with  the 
remark,  "  I  have  come  here  to  build  the  American  Chapel ; 
and  it  is  to  be  built,  sir.  If  you  have  any  reluctance  to  pay 
your  subscription,  will  you  be  so  kind  as  to  erase  your 
name  ?  "  The  name  was  not  erased.  The  money  was  paid, 
and  the  gentleman  became  a  firm  supporter  of  the  chapel. 
On  returning  to  a  friend,  awaiting  him  in  his  vehicle  at  the 
door,  who  knew  the  man  well,  and  relating  to  him  the  inter- 
view, he  replied :  "  That  was  just  right ;  you  've  gained 
him." 

That  was  the  first  difficulty ;  but  soon  there  was  reason  to 
suspect  that  some  persons  in  the  United  States  had  prepared 
certain  obstacles  to  the  enterprise.  Through  Dr.  Evans  in- 
formation was  gained  that  the  emperor  had  received  errone- 
ous impressions  about  the  mission  in  a  somewhat  unfriendly 
way.  But  He  who  placed  Mordecai  as  a  favorite  in  the  court 
of  Ahasuerus,  had  placed  this  patriotic  American  in  the  same 


WORK  IN   PARIS   AND   TOUR  IN  PALESTINE.  233 

position  in  the  Tuileries.  The  emperor  treated  the  matter 
fairly  and  kindly,  making  but  one  concession  to  priestly  in- 
fluence :  that  of  inserting  in  the  government  permits  the 
restricting  clause  that  preaching  in  the  French  language  was 
not  to  be  permitted  in  the  chapel.  The  only  other  interfer- 
ence—  if  it  was  indeed  such — was  made  by  a  stranger,  a 
Frenchman,  who  called  and  made  very  many  minute  in- 
quiries about  the  proposed  objects  and  plans.  Dr.  Kirk  im- 
mediately suspected  his  aim  to  be  the  discovery  of  any  point 
in  the  movement  that  could  be  attacked. 

"  We  bad  selected  the  site  in  a  pleasant  street  running  out  of  the 
Champs  Elyse'es;  and  proceeded  with  our  notaries  to  the  house  of  the 
lady  who  owned  the  land.  The  interview  I  will  describe;  but  first  allude 
to  the  location.  A  large  portion  of  the  Americans  resided  at  the  distance 
of  one  mile  from  the  Rue  de  Berry.  One  day,  dining  at  the  house  of 
a  friend  with  James  Lenox,  Esq.,  of  New  York,  Mr.  Lenox  remarked, 
'  It  seems  to  me  you  have  selected  the  site  a  little  too  distant  from  the 
centre  of  the  city.'  Had  I  then  possessed  a  prophetic  vision,  I  might 
have  made  a  very  sensible  reply:  The  emperor  is  about  to  revolutionize 
Paris  architecturally,  and  extend  its  western  boundary  so  far  as  to  make 
the  Rue  de  Berry  the  veal  centre  of  residences.  But  having  no  prophetic 
vision,  I  made  the  perhaps  equally  sensible  reply:  If  Mr.  Lenox  had  been 
here  a  month  ago,  and  said  to  me,  Here  are  twenty  .thousand  dollars 
which  will  enable  yon  to  purchase  a  site  in  the  Rue  Royale,  the  chapel 
had  been  located  there;  but  as  I  had  not  the  twenty  thousand  dollars,  a 
lot  was  selected  suited  to  the  state  of  our  exchequer. 

"To  recur  to  the  interview  with  the  two  widows,  —  the  owner  of  the 
land,  and  her  daughter.  We  were  present,  silver  in  hand,  to  pay  the 
first  installment  on  the  land,  give  our  mortgages,  and  take  the  deed. 
Two  features  of  the  interview  were  quite  amusing.  The  first  was,  that 
when  the  deed  had  been  read  the  mother  remarked,  '  I  wish  you  would 
insert  a  clause  binding  the  chapel  society  to  forfeit  their  title  to  my 
heirs  if  that  building  is  ever  sold  to  the  Roman  Catholics.'  '  Madame,' 
I  replied,  '  make  that  clause  of  iron,  if  you  please.  But  why  do  you,  a 
Catholic,  insert  that  ?  '  Her  reply  revealed  simply  her  French  aversion 
to  anything  funereal  near  her  residence.  When  the  last  signatures  were 
about  to  be  made,  the  daughter  turning  to  me  observed,  '  You  intend,  of 
course,  to  pay  the  pin-money?  '  '  Pin-money?  '  I  replied  ;  '  what  do  you 
mean  by  that  ?  '  '  Why,  sir,  every  transfer  of  property  is  accompanied 
by  a  gift  of  pin-money  to  the  ladies  of  the  family.'  My  Yankee  blood 
was  stirred,  and  I  believe  I  spent  one  hour  in  discussing  that  subject  with 
her.     I  began  with  logic:  'Madame,  I  am  but  an  agent  ;  the  money  is 


234  LIFE   OF  EDWARD   NORMS   KIRK. 

not  mine  to  give.  I  have  made  for  my  employers  a  fair  bargain  with 
your  mother  to  pay  a  definite  sum  for  her  land.  I  am  ready  to  fulfill  my 
part  of  the  contract  when  she  is  ready  to  fulfill  hers.  Giving  money  to 
you  or  any  one  else,  has  nothing  to  do  with  the  affair.'  '  Sir,  it  is  the 
custom  of  our  country  to  pay  pin-money,  if  only  a  cow  is  purchased.' 
Then  I  tried  the  vein  of  raillery  :  '  Just  think,  madamc,  that  your  amia- 
ble countenance  is  daguerreotyped  on  my  memory,  and  I  am  to  carry  it 
through  life;  and  am  I  always  to  see  an  outstretched  beggar-hand,  and 
to  hear  the  cry,  Pin-money  !  pin-money  ! '  But  her  feminine  heart  re- 
sponded to  nothing  but  the  hope  of  three  or  four  hundred  francs. 

"  Seeing  my  efforts  vain,  I  took  my  hat,  bade  the  ladies  good-morn- 
ing, and  nodded  to  my  attendants,  retiring  with  as  many  bows  as  a 
Frenchman  from  the  scene.  Now  the  contest  was  between  mother  and 
daughter.  The  difficulty  was  speedily  surmounted.  Seeing  that  bag  of 
silver  carried  from  the  room,  the  finer  sensibilities  of  the  mother  were 
overcome,  and  a  servant  was  sent  to  call  me  back.  There  was  no  more 
about  '  I'epingle.'  The  papers  were  signed  and  the  site  of  the  American 
Chapel  was  secured." 

Two  great  questions  now  arose.  Who  shall  own  the 
chapel  ?  was  the  first.  It  appeared  that  no  foreign  corpora- 
tion could  own  real  estate  in  Paris.  This  set  Dr.  Kirk  on  a 
track  of  inquiry  with  Protestant  churches,  benevolent  insti- 
tutions, and  Roman  Catholic  churches,  how  those  of  them 
which  represented  foreign  nations  held  their  titles.  All 
their  methods  appeared  unsuited  to  his  views ;  and  after 
much  consultation  with  the  directors  in  New  York,  it  was 
agreed  that  the  title  should  vest  in  Dr.  Kirk  personally,  he 
giving  the  society  a  contrelettre,  or  government  claim,  that 
should  bar  his  heirs  from  succeeding  to  the  ownership,  and  a 
kind  of  will  bequeathing  the  title  under  the  same  restrictions 
to  two  others  named. 

Out  of  this  ownership  arose  another  very  important  ques- 
tion. By  the  laws  of  France,  every  transfer  of  property  sub- 
jects the  property  to  a  government  ad  valorem  tax  of  nine 
or  ten  per  cent.  At  his  decease,  the  chapel  would  thus  be 
obliged  to  pay  five  or  six  thousand  dollars  for  registering  the 
property  in  the  name  of  the  new  owners.  This  appeared 
very  formidable  ;  especially  as  it  might  come  on  the  society 
at  a  period  of  great  financial  weakness,  and  perhaps  be  fatal. 


THE  AMERICAN   CHAPEL  AT   PARIS. 


WOKK  IN  PARIS   AND   TOUR   IN  PALESTINE.  235 

Lawyers,  statesmen,  financiers,  directors  of  benevolent  socie- 
ties were  again  extensively  consulted,  but  none  could  fur- 
nish relief.  (Among  those  thus  consulted  and  remembered 
with  interest  was  Jules  Simon,  who  has  been  conspicuous  in 
recent  affairs.)  The  result  was  the  simple  expedient  of 
diffusing  the  payment  of  this  enormous  tax  over  a  series  of 
years.  Dr.  Kirk's  life  was  insured  for  the  sum,  the  chapel 
paying  the  annuity  premium,  and  possessing  the  title  to  the 
money  due  at  his  decease. 

The  directors  of  the  Union  years  afterwards  requested  him 
to  give  a  power  of  attorney  to  an  individual,  authorizing  him 
to  constitute  Dr.  Kirk  again  a  member  of  a  new  company  to 
be  organized  in  Paris,  which  company,  being  itself  immortal, 
and  owning  the  chapel,  would  avoid  a  repetition  of  this  tax. 
Dr.  Kirk  refused  to  concur  in  the  arrangement,  believing  it 
to  be  an  evasion  of  the  French  law,  wrong  in  itself,  and 
liable  to  very  serious  consequences.  The  friends  in  Paris 
were  led  to  propose  it  in  imitation  of  the  example  of  the 
American  Episcopal  Church  in  Paris,  which  had  adopted  it. 

The  building  is  Gothic,  unpretentious  and  yet  attractive. 
Going  one  day  to  overlook  the  workmen,  Dr.  Kirk  found 
•  them  quite  excited.  Directly  in  the  rear  of  the  building 
boarded  a  French  clergyman,  Napoleon  Roussell,  well  known 
in  this  country  by  his  admirable  evangelical  tracts.  His 
little  daughter,  knowing  that  this  was  a  Protestant  chapel, 
was  shocked  on  a  Sunday  morning  to  find  the  workmen  em- 
ployed as  on  other  days.  Like  a  genuine  tract-distributor, 
she  wrote  her  own  tract,  inclosed  it  in  an  envelope,  attached 
a  stone  to  it,  and  threw  it  from  a  window  to  the  workmen. 
It  fell  like  one  of  the  recent  German  shells  among  them. 
They  read  it  with  indignation,  and  were  still  conversing 
about  it  when  the  doctor  arrived  on  Monday.  They  im- 
mediately clustered  around  him  on  the  scaffold,  while,  for- 
getting the  ever-vigilant  French  police,  taking  his  text  from 
the  letter,  he  told  them  that  in  America  the  Sabbath  was 
the  poor  man's  day,  —  no  one  could  exact  labor  of  him  ;  that 
they  were  really  enslaved  by  the  views  their  nation  had  of 


236  LIFE   OF  EDWARD  NORMS   KIRK. 

the  Sabbath.  Their  anger  ceased  and  the  tide  of  sympathy 
was  rising  for  the  American  Sabbath.  But  their  employer 
did  no^  dare  to  finish  the  sermon  with  an  application,  under 
the  circumstances,  as  he  had  really  been  betrayed  uninten- 
tionally into  a  partial  breach  of  contract  by  preaching  in 
French  outside  of  the  walls,  if  not  within. 

The  directors  settled  this  question  wisely  by  authorizing 
the  payment  of  six  days'  work  and  seven  days'  wages. 

The  next  question  naturally  came  up,  as  follows  :  Shall 
a  church  be  formed  ?  It  was,  however,  manifest  that  that 
must  be  deferred  to  a  future  day.  It  has  since  been  accom- 
plished by  the  Rev.  Dr.  Robinson. 

Still  another  question  arose  concerning  the  use  of  an  ex- 
temporaneous service  or  the  ritual  of  the  Episcopal  Church  ? 
In  view  of  the  pecuniary  rights  of  Episcopalians  in  the 
project,  and  their  strong  attachment  to  their  own  form  of 
worship,  that  form  was  adopted  as  far  as  it  could  be  under 
the  circumstances. 

This  was  the  fourth  tour  he  had  made  in  Europe,  and  still 
had  not  fulfilled  the  desire  of  visiting  the  Holy  Land.  The 
chapel  building  was  so  far  advanced  that  without  detriment 
to  its  interests  a  two  weeks'  tour  through  Palestine  was 
possible. 

We  are  chiefly  indebted  to  the  Rev.  R.  H.  Neale,  D.  D.,  of 
Boston,  for  the  facts  relating  to  this  tour.  Side  by  side 
these  two  men  had  labored  for  fifteen  years  at  home.  With 
a  persistency  characteristic  of  the  man,  Dr.  Neale  went  to 
Paris  to  secure  the  company  of  his  friend  Kirk  upon  such  a 
tour,  and  made  known  the  object  of  his  visit.  We  now 
quote  from  his  narrative  :  — 

"'Brother  Neale,'  said  Kirk,  'I  believe  Providence  sent  you  here. 
I  want  to  go  to  Palestine,  but  there  are  four  or  five  objections.  I  do  not 
see  how  they  can  be  obviated.  But  I  believe  in  prayer.  I  do  not  want 
to  do  anything  without  the  will  of  God.     Let  us  seek  his  advice.'  " 

At  once  they  knelt,  when  every  objection  was  brought  up 
in  prayer ;  the  chief  difficulty  being  the  action  of  the  board 
in  whose  service  Dr.  Kirk  was  engaged.     Every  day  for 


WORK  IN  PARIS  AND   TOUR  IN  PALESTINE.  237 

three  weeks  prayer  was  offered  over  these  difficulties,  until 
one  by  one  all  were  removed  ;  and  in  the  early  summer  of 
1857  they  were  ready.  Mrs.  Smith,  wife  of  a  missionary  in 
Palestine,  then  in  Paris,  said,  "  It  is  as  much  as  your  lives 
are  worth  to  go  in  the  summer  season  ;  "  to  whom  Dr.  Kirk 
replied,  "  The  Lord  has  answered  our  prayers  in  removing 
the  difficulties  and  I  am  willing  to  trust  my  life  with  Him." 

It  was  during  the  Indian  mutiny  in  Hindustan.  The 
steamer  upon  which  they  had  taken  passage  for  Alexandria 
was  detained  a  day  or  two  by  direction  of  the  government, 
for  Sir  Colin  Campbell  and  his  officers  to  arrive. 

The  two  travelers,  being  among  strangers  and  consulting 
economy,  took  tickets  in  the  second  cabin,  having  the  liberty 
of  the  deck.  Their  gentlemanly  and  intelligent  appearance 
attracted  the  attention  of  the  "first  class"  passengers  and 
especially  of  Sir  Colin,  who  insisted  upon  their  occupying 
the  first  cabin  with  him,  and  sitting  at  his  right  hand  at  the 
table.  Dr.  Kirk  preached  to  the  company  on  the  passage. 
The  friendships  there  formed  were  never  forgotten. 

From  Alexandria  they  started  for  Jerusalem.  At  the  out- 
set they  agreed  to  call  each  other  by  their  first  names  in 
their  familiar  intercourse,  their  hearts  open  to  every  new 
scene.  In  a  public  meeting  after  their  return,  Dr.  Kirk  de- 
clared that  Dr.  Neale  would  not  have  entered  the  Holy 
Land  save  as  he  had  "  boosted  "  him  in.  Dr.  Neale  thus 
describes  the  event :  *  — 

"We  went  from  Alexandria  to  Jaffa,  the  Joppa  of  the  Scriptures. 
The  town  has  no  harbor  except  one  naturally  formed,  and  the  boatmen 
came  off  to  the  steamer  in  little  boats  to  take  us  to  land.  Then  we  were 
obliged  to  climb  up  some  very  high  rocks  in  order  to  get  really  and  fully 
ashore.  Probably  a  dozen  boatmen  with  as  many  boats  would  come  out 
to  take  travelers  ashore,  and  they  were  full  of  jabber,  and  apparently 
scolding,  and  neither  of  us  could  fully  understand  them.  But  Dr.  Kirk 
could  understand  every  one  that  spoke  French  and  Italian.     He  was  re- 

1  This  entire  narrative  of  Dr.  Neale  was  very  interesting  journey.     The  survivor  has 

taken   down  by  a   stenographer  while  the  given,  in  his  racy,  inimitable  way,  facts  not 

doctor  recited  the  events.     Among  all  the  only  interesting  in  themselves,  but  afford- 

papers  in  the  possession  of  the  writer  of  this  ing  repeated  glimpses  into  his  fellow-trav- 

biography,  there  was  none   touching  this  eler's  character. 


238  LIFE   OF  EDWARD  NORMS  KIRK. 

markably  versed  in  several  European  languages,  so  that  he  could  talk 
wonderfully. 

"  I  depended  on  Kirk  to  do  the  talking  and  to  make  a  bargain  with  the 
boatmen.  We  knew  they  would  never  be  satisfied,  whatever  was  done. 
Each  of  us  had  a  carpet-bag,  and  the  arrangement  made  was  this :  I 
said  to  Kirk,  You  settle  with  the  fellows  for  what  we  agreed  to  pay  and 
we  must  be  off.  He  had  already  stipulated  with  the  men  and  fixed 
upon  the  price. 

" '  Now,  Edward  Norris,'  I  said,  '  I  will  take  the  bags,  and  you  help  me 
up  ; '  —  the  rocks  were  breast-high  —  '  you  just  help  me  up  on  the  rocks 
with  the  bags,  and  you  pay  the  bill.'  Of  course  it  was  funny,  but  we 
did  not  think  of  it  then.  He  did  literally  '  boost '  me  on  to  the  rocks 
with  the  bags.  He  settled  with  the  fellows,  and  as  soon  as  this  was 
done,  I  pulled  him  up  after  me ;  and  then  we  showed  the  fellows  as  good 
a  pair  of  heels  as  any  one  can  see.  They  yelped  and  ran,  but  could  not 
help  it.     They  could  not  catch  us.     That  was  the  pleasant  part  of  it. " 

At  Jaffa  they  followed  the  custom  of  all  travelers.  They 
hired  two  horses  for  themselves,  hired  a  dragoman  who  had 
under  his  control  three  servants  on  horses.  Their  cooking 
apparatus,  stoves,  and  food,  and  the  materials  for  the  tent 
under  which  they  were  to  rest,  were  carried  on  mules.  Thus 
they  entered  upon  their  rough  journey  in  the  very  style  of 
travel  adopted  by  the  patriarchs.  The  servants  went  on 
before,  selected  a  place  where  to  stop  over  night,  and  put  up 
the  tent. 

Going  through  the  valley  of  Sharon,  on  the  way  to  Jeru- 
salem, everything  was  in  bloom ;  the  valleys  were  beautiful 
in  their  verdure  ;  the  veritable  rose  of  Sharon  was  there,  and 
the  lily  of  the  valley  filled  the  air  with  its  delightful  fra- 
grance. Said  Dr.  Kirk,  "  There  is  evidence  of  the  value  of 
prayer  :  I  looked  to  the  Lord  for  everything,  and  I  did  not 
believe  He  would  destroy  us." 

When  they  were  come  to  the  place  where  David  gathered 
the  five  smooth  pebbles  from  the  brook,  it  began  to  seem 
as  if  the  shadow  of  Mrs.  Smith's  prophecy  were  falling. 
"But,"  said  Dr.  Kirk,  "I don't  lose  faith  in  prayer  yet." 
There,  by  the  historic  brook,  they  rested  for  a  while,  and 
again  resumed  their  journey. 

Three  hours  later,  after  all  the  fatigue  of  the  dangerous 


WORK  IN  PARIS  AND   TOUR  IN  PALESTINE.  239 

mountain-paths,  they  came  in  sight  of  the  Mount  of  Olives, 
and  soon  of  Jerusalem.  On  this  mountain  of  sacred  soil,  in 
sight  of  the  city  over  which  Jesus  wept,  Dr.  Kirk  sang,  in 
the  first  moment  of  his  vision,  "  All  hail  the  power  of  Jesus' 
name."     It  was  a  journey  in  prayer  and  praise. 

His  companion  thus  describes  their  first  Sabbath  in  Jeru- 
salem :  — 

"  We  spent  the  next  Sunday  after  our  arrival  in  the  Garden  of 
Gethsemane,  and  in  going  over  the  Mount  of  Olives.  The  doctor  was 
always  very  careful:  he  was  a  good,  thorough  Puritan  and  proposed  that 
we  go  to  church.  Said  I,  '  Cannot  we  spend  the  Sabbath  better  in  Nat- 
ure's sanctuary,  especially  on  the  Mount  of  Olives  and  in  the  Garden 
of  Gethsemane  ?  '  He  felt  it  at  once.  '  It  would  not  be  wrong,  would 
it?'  said  he.  (He  would  always  satisfy  himself  of  that.  No  one  more 
deeply  enjoyed  the  associations  of  the  place  than  he.)  We  went  down 
into  the  Garden  of  Gethsemane  and  spent  some  two  hours  there,  he 
reading  over  the  account  given  of  the  scene  when  our  Saviour  was  there, 
from  the  different  gospels,  and  then  singing  '  Jesus,  I  love  thy  charming 
name.'  " 

The  friends  visited  all  the  places  of  interest  in  the  city.  Dr. 
Kirk's  first  inquiry  was  for  the  Pool  of  Bethesda.  The  place 
of  the  old  Temple,  the  house  of  David,  and,  above  all,  the 
scenes  of  our  Lord's  sufferings,  called  out  his  intense  sympa- 
thies. The  only  drawback  was  the  sight  of  so  much  super- 
stition.    The  following  incident  is  recorded  by  Dr.  Neale:  — 

"  He  disliked  the  Catholic  priests.  When  he  first  saw  them  in  Paris, 
said  he,  '  See  that  gown ; '  or  some  sarcastic  remark  about  '  a  long 
gown.'  And  then  he  disliked  beggars  very  much;  sometimes  I  was  a 
little  more  kind  to  them  than  he  was,  and  would  say,  '  These  poor  crea- 
tures deserve  to  be  treated  kindly.'  But  he  had  got  the  idea  that  the 
fellows  were  impostors,  and  he  hated  shams. 

"  He  was  deeply  impressed  with  the  religious  associations  of  Pales- 
tine. We  walked  from  Jerusalem  to  Bethlehem,  and  were  there  also  on 
the  Sabbath.  We  saw  the  house  of  Simeon,  and  the  path  that  our 
Saviour  trod  from  Bethlehem  to  Jerusalem,  and  from  Jerusalem  to  Beth- 
lehem. We  had  a  guide  or  dragoman  with  us  to  point  out  all  the  places. 
We  knew  that  that  must  be  the  road  which  Mary  and  Joseph  took  with 
the  Child. 

"  On  our  way,  we  saw  a  mother  with  a  child  coming  along  the  road. 
1  Oh,'  said  the  doctor,  tears  coming  into  his  eyes,  'you  see  that!     How 


240  LIFE   OF   EDWARD  NORRIS   KIRK. 

often  the  mother  of  our  Blessed  Saviour  trod  this  same  path  with  her 
infant  child!     I  am  carried  back  to  that  sacred  time.' 

"  Well,  I  sympathized  with  him,  and  he  wanted  the  dragoman  to  tell 
her  what  he  said,  —  the  thought  he  had  expressed.  The  dragoman  did 
so,  when  the  woman  very  modestly  said  she  was  not  worthy  of  the  com- 
parison. That  touched  the  doctor  still  more.  '  You  hear  that,  Rollin  ? 
She  has  the  spirit  of  the  Virgin.'  He  took  out  his  book  and  said,  '  I 
shall  put  that  down  and  tell  it  to  my  people  when  I  get  home  to 
Boston.'  And  he  wrote  it  down.  Meanwhile,  she  continued  her  talk 
to  the  dragoman.  '  What  does  she  say?'  asked  the  doctor.  Said  the 
dragoman,  '  She  thinks  that  as  she  has  said  what  you  wanted  to  know 
you  might  give  her  some  backsheesh. '  How  quick  the  mercury  went 
down  to  freezing  point.  '  What!  did  she  say  backsheesh  f  '  exclaimed  he; 
'  she  is  a  beggar! '     He  put  back  his  book. 

"  Said  I,  '  Look  here,  Edward,  better  put  that  down  to  tell  your 
people  in  Boston.'  Said  he,  '  I  don't  know  about  that.'  I  intended  to  be 
faithful  to  him,  and  would  not  tell  of  it  myself  until  I  learned  that  after 
he  came  home  he  did  tell  his  people  the  whole  story,  and  so  I  venture  to 
give  it. 

"  He  became  more  reconciled  to  the  Catholics,  on  account  of  their  gen- 
erosity. We  went  to  Bethlehem,  where  we  found  a  Catholic  convent,  or 
a  religious  hotel.  They  do  not  charge  anything,  though  they  expect  con- 
tributions to  the  holy  purposes  of  the  church.  We  stopped  at  those  places 
in  Bethlehem  and  Nazareth  as  we  went  north.  In  Bethlehem  we  saw 
what  is  called  the  Holy  Manger,  where  our  Saviour  was  born.  There  is 
a  tablet  of  marble  over  it,  and  on  it  is  inscribed,  '  Here,  Jesus  of  Naza- 
reth was  born.'  I  remember  very  well  the  deep  impressions  made  upon 
the  mind  of  Dr.  Kirk;  he  lingered  about  it;  he  would  have  sung  but  he 
did  not  wish  to  disturb  the  priests  who  were  around  there  with  their  can- 
dles ;  and  he  treated  them  with  consideration  on  account  of  their  showing 
such  great  respect  for  the  place.  There  was  a  marked  change  in  his 
feelings  toward  them  on  account  of  their  guarding  so  sacredly  the  sacred 
places. 

"  We  bathed  in  the  Jordan  where  the  Saviour  was  baptized.  He  was 
more  timid  than  I  was.  We  had  a  debate  there  on  the  mode  of  baptism. 
Said  I,  '  If  there  had  not  been  a  change  in  the  river  at  this  place,  I  should 
give  it  upf  for  we  could  not  have  immersed  here  without  drowning.'  We 
could  not  go  far  out  in  the  stream.  I  told  him  there  had  been  a  change 
in  the  current,  as  I  was  informed  by  writers.  'No,'  said  he,  'John 
stood  here,  no  doubt  about  it,  and  in  a  gentlemanly  and  genteel  way 
he  did  not  expose  people  to  the  danger  of  drowning ;  '  and  he  made  the 
best  use  he  could  of  the  utter  impossibility  of  immersing  at  the  traditional 
spot,  claiming  that  John  poured  or  sprinkled  the  candidate.  I  was  some- 
what  surprised   at   his  position    in    not  thinking   our    Saviour   was  im- 


WORK  IN  PARIS   AND   TOUR  IN  PALESTINE.  241 

mersed.  That  was  his  opinion  really.  He  said  he  would  go  according 
to  the  example  of  Christ,  and  I  believe  he  would  have  done  so.  He 
was  always  in  a  pleasant  mood  of  mind,  whenever  we  talked  freely  about 
the  subjects  upon  which  we  differed. 

"  In  going  through  Palestine  we  had  a  very  intelligent  dragoman,  and 
the  doctor,  who  understood  French  perfectly,  could  converse  with  the 
titmost  freedom  in  French,  and,  I  should  judge,  in  Italian  too.  He 
conversed  with  most  of  the  men  with  whom  we  stopped  at  various 
places  on  the  journey.  He  was  always  indulgent  and  treated  people 
where  he  was  with  great  respect,  and  yet  he  was  as  faithful  as  Mr. 
Moody  in  introducing  the  subject  of  religion.  There  was  one  man  on 
the  Mediterranean  steamer,  a  Hungarian,  but  who  conversed  in  the 
French,  Italian,  and  English  languages.  The  conversation  at  one  time 
was  in  English,  and  the  doctor,  using  the  orthodox  phrase,  asked  the 
Hungarian  whether  he  had  been  converted  or  not.  He  was  a  sort  of 
reckless  fellow,  but  good-hearted ;  he  did  not  recognize  us  as  ministers, 
for  we  did  not  dress  exactly  like  ministers.  He  knew  Dr.  Kirk  was  an 
intelligent  man  who  understood  the  difficulty  between  Austria  and  Hun- 
gary, as  the  conversation  occurred  about  the  time  of  the  difficulty.  The 
doctor  plied  him  on  the  subject  of  religion  as  he  did  the  sea-captains  and 
everybody  else,  and  asked  him  if  he  had  ever  experienced  a  change  of 
heart.  '  Yes,'  said  he, '  oh,  yes.'  '  Thank  God  for  that,'  said  the  doctor. 
As  we  walked  away,  I  said,  '  I  doubt  whether  he  understood  what  you 
meant;  I  notice  you  talk  to  all  these  men  (as  you  ought,  and  it  sets  me  a 
good  example),  but  I  have  a  suspicion  that  he  would  not  understand  it, 
as  he  did  not  talk  English  very  fluently,  and  you  used  some  technical 
phrases.' 

"  Said  he,  '  Of  course  he  understood  me.' 

"  I  replied,  '  1  doubt  if  he  knew  what  you  meant.' 

"  We  went  back  to  find  out  the  truth  of  the  matter.  Said  Dr.  Kirk, 
'  I  asked  you  if  you  had  ever  experienced  a  change  of  heart,  and  you 
said  you  had ;  you  know  what  I  meant  by  that  ?  ' 

"  Said  the  Hungarian,  '  Yes,  I  suppose  so;  whether  I  had  undergone 
a  change  in  my  opinions.     I  have,  during  the  Hungarian  troubles.' 

"  The  doctor  said:  '  Thus  the  Lord  worketh  with  such  things  to 
bring  back  man.' 

"  But  the  man  went  on  and  said:  '  I  used  to  think  well  of  the  Austri- 
ans,  but  during  those  Hungarian  troubles  I  found  them  to  be  the  greatest 
rascals  I  ever  heard  of.' 

"  I  must  say,  I  don't  know  when  I  laughed  more  than  I  did  then.     He 

was  such  an  honest,  clever  fellow,  but  while  he  was  intelligent,  he  did 

aot  seem  to  know  anything  about  religious  matters.     He  wanted  to  agree 

with  the  doctor,  and  when   asked  if  he  had   experienced  a  change  of 

16 


242  LIFE   OF  EDWARD  NORMS   KIRK. 

heart,  he  thought  all  the  doctor  meant  was,  whether  he  had  undergone  a 
change  in  his  political  feelings. 

"  During  our  journey  in  Palestine  we  would  sleep  under  our  tent,  and 
in  the  early  morning  the  tent  would  be  removed.  It  was  the  business  of 
the  dragoman  to  remove  the  tent  after  we  were  through  breakfast.  Once 
while  we  were  busy  talking  at  the  table,  away  went  the  tent. 

"  '  Why,'  said  the  doctor,  '  our  tabernacle  is  gone!  '  But  he  looked 
up,  and,  seeing  the  heavens,  quoted  the  passage,  '  We  know  that  if  our 
earthly  house  of  this  tabernacle  be  dissolved,'  etc.  Said  he,  '  Who  cares 
if  this  earthly  tabernacle  —  this  tent  —  is  removed,  when  we  have  such  a 
tent  above  us  ?  I  should  n't  wonder  at  all  if  that  illustration  came  from 
just  such  a  removal  of  a  tent  in  this  pleasant  land.'  " 

Throughout  the  journey  the  travelers  recognized  the  hand 
of  God.  The  strange  desolation  seemed  like  a  mildew  or 
blight.  "  It  appears  like  a  land  that  rejected  the  Messiah," 
said  Dr.  Kirk.  "  Well,"  said  the  dragoman,  though  by  no 
means  religious,  "  it  is  cursed  of  Heaven  ;  there  is  no  law, 
no  religion,  no  government,  no  God." 

They  slept  in  but  one  house  during  all  this  journey.  They 
journeyed  from  early  morning  until  ten  o'clock,  then  finding 
rest,  during  the  oppressive  heat,  under  some  fig  or  juniper 
tree,  of  which  there  were  a  great  many.  The  cooling  winds 
from  the  Mediterranean,  relieving  the  oven-like  oppressive- 
ness of  the  atmosphere,  called  to  mind  the  well-known  hymn, 

"  God  of  the  cooling  breeze," 

which  was  often  sung. 

Upon  the  road  to  Jericho,  these  lines  were  frequently  re- 
peated by  Dr.  Neale,  and  as  often  sung  by  his  companion  :  — 

"  In  foreign  lands  and  realms  remote, 
Supported  by  thy  care, 
We  pass  o'er  burning  sands  no  more, 
And  breathe  enchanted  air." 

Then  would  come  a  good-natured  dispute,  "  Rollin,  do  you 
understand  those  lines  ?  What  is  your  opinion  of  them  ?  " 
"  Well,  I  think  they  mean  just  what  they  say  ;  that  we 
pass  over  burning  sands  no  more,  and  breathe  enchanted 
air."  "No,"  said  Dr.  Kirk,  "that  is  not  the  meaning;  it 
means  that  if  we  breathed  tainted  air  we  could  not  live ; 


WORK  IN  PARIS   AND   TOUR  IN  PALESTINE.  243 

that  we  breathe  purely  and  freshly,  though  tainted  air  is 
around  us." 

His  companion  was  not  inclined  to  dispute  him,  provided 
they  should  get  over  the  burning  sands  and  have  no  more  of 
the  tainted  air.     Dr.  Neale's  narrative  continues  :  — 

"  We  spent  Sunday  in  Nazareth  and  went  to  the  house  of  Joseph  and 
Mary.  It  was  a  carpenter's  shop.  They  showed  so  many  relics  that  the 
doctor  got  a  little  tired  of  them,  and  said,  '  What  liars  these  fellows  are ! 
I  don't  know  about  them.' 

"It  was  so  when  we  came  to  the  grotto  in  Bethany,  which  they 
called  the  Tomb  of  Lazarus.  Said  he,  '  These  fellows  get  up  a  grotto  or 
tomb  for  anything,  and  I  don't  believe  Lazarus  was  ever  here.'  He 
did  n't  doubt,  however,  that  Lazarus  was  dead,  and  was  raised  from  the 
dead,  but  the  certainty  of  the  precise  locality  disturbed  him,  and  he 
hesitated  about  entering  it.  Said  he,  '  It  doesn't  look  like  a  grave  at 
all.'  We  had  already  gone  down  into  the  grotto,  and  I  was  a  little  be- 
fore him,  but  still  he  hesitated;  said  he,  *  These  fellows  lie  so  ;  they 
have  ever  so  many  stories  about  these  sacred  localities  ;  I  don't  believe 
them.  How  do  they  know  that  this  was  the  place  where  Lazarus  was 
buried  ?     There  are  other  grottoes  and  soft  rocks  all  round  us. ' 

"He  was  about  going  back,  when  I  said,  'Don't  do  it.  We  have 
paid  for  believing,  and  we  might  as  well  get  the  worth  of  our  money. ' 
We  went  into  the  so-called  tomb." 

Nothing  escaped  the  notice  of  these  true  pilgrims  to  the 
"  sacred  fields."  They  stood  upon  the  brow  of  the  hill  where 
the  townsmen  of  Jesus  sought  his  life.  They  stood  likewise, 
if  rightly  informed,  upon  the  exact  place  of  the  cross  in 
Jerusalem.  The  valley  of  the  Jordan  was  "  holy  ground." 
The  throbs  of  the  Dead  Sea  waves  upon  the  beach  were 
voices  of  an  awful  past.  Mount  Carmel,  overlooking  the  sea 
to  catch  the  rising  cloud,  recording  sentinel  of  the  truest 
heroism,  was  itself  a  Scripture  lesson  of  the  divine  strength. 
They  entered,  though  with  some  doubt  of  its  identity,  the 
house  of  Simon  the  Tanner  at  Joppa,  where  Peter  lodged. 
They  stood  upon  the  house-top  where  the  apostle  was  in 
prayer  just  previous  to  the  summons  to  visit  Cornelius. 
They  visited  Melita,  where  Paul  landed  after  the  shipwreck, 
and  where  the  viper  clung  about  his  hand.  The  way-side  of 
Jericho  recalled  the  restoring  of  sight  to  the  blind.     The 


244  LIFE   OF  EDWAKD  NORMS   KIRK. 

dreams  of  their  lives  had  become  real,  and  the  reality  was 
more  inspiring  than  any  anticipations. 

We  have  recalled  these  scenes  of  enjoyment  to  illustrate 
in  their  own  mirror-like  way  the  life  of  Dr.  Kirk.  Travel- 
ers are  never  hypocrites  ;  and  we  close  this  fragmentary 
narrative  with  the  testimony  of  Dr.  Neale  :  "  I  was  de- 
lighted with  Kirk's  youthful  emotions,  showing  that  while 
he  was  strictly  religious,  and  had  almost  something  of  the 
Puritan  about  him,  yet  no  man  more  enjoyed  all  that  was 
right  in  life,  and  all  that  was  good." 

In  due  time  the  travelers  returned  to  Paris,  and  Dr.  Kirk 
began  his  labors  in  the  American  Chapel.  The  remem- 
brance of  these  was  cherished  ever  afterwards.  Standing  in 
that  gay  city,  the  Christian  prophet  and  patriot  thus 
spoke : — 

"  We  owe  it  to  our  God  to  recognize  Him  by  erecting  here  a  new 
house  of  prayer.  We  are  a  Christian  nation  ;  we  believe  in  God ;  we 
believe  in  Jesus  Christ  ;  we  believe  in  the  providence  of  God  as  the 
source  of  our  blessings  ;  in  the  Christian  Scriptures  as  the  foundation  of 
our  institutions,  the  charter  of  our  freedom  ;  and  it  becomes  us  to  erect 
here  a  monument  to  our  national  faith,  and  to  that  faith  a  national  monu- 
ment. Not  a  monument  to  the  glory  of  our  republican  institutions  ;  that 
would  be  out  of  place.  Not  a  monument  to  our  great  names  and  great 
achievements  ;  those  are  appropriate  to  our  own  land  But  a  monu- 
ment to  the  glory  of  God  our  Maker,  and  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord  and 
Saviour 

"  This  is  the  first  church  the  citizens  of  our  republic  have  erected  in 
Europe,  to  meet  their  own  religious  wants.  As  an  American,  I  am  more 
rejoiced  to  see  it  than  to  see  the  proudest  monument  we  ever  erected  to 
immortalize  the  fame  of  our  mechanical  skill,  our  military  prowess,  or 
our  literary  achievements.  Here  the  American  Republic  declares  that 
she  honors  God.  Here  she  says  to  her  absent  sons,  '  Remember  the 
God  of  your  fathers  and  honor  Him  among  strangers.  Remember  the 
Saviour  who  redeemed  you,  and  honor  Him  among  the  nations  of  the 
earth.  Remember  that  your  dignity  is  consistent  with  an  unpretending 
simplicity  ;  that  loftiness  of  principle  and  purity  of  manners  were  the 
glory  of  your  fathers  ;  that  the  starting-place  of  our  national  greatness 
was  virtue  and  godliness.'  We  have  erected  a  noble  national  monument. 
Americans,  sustain  it  !  And  not  as  a  dead  monument ;  but  as  a  living 
offering  to  the  Author  of  our  being;  and  our  blessings." 


WORK  IN  PARIS  AND   TOUR  IN  PALESTINE.  245 

Among  his  last  letters  was  one  to  the  Rev.  Dr.  Hitchcock, 
pastor  of  the  American  Chapel :  — 

"My  dear  Brother,  — .  ...  I  hear  good  tidings  from  the  dear 
chapel.  May  our  blessed  Saviour  continue  to  give  you  the  marks  of 
his  presence  and  favor.  Why,  dear  brother,  do  we  not  love  Him  more 
fervently?  Why  do  not  our  very  faces  shine  with  more  brightness  than 
did  the  face  of  Moses  on  the  Mount  ?  He  saw  the  beams  of  glory  that 
shone  through  the  clouds  of  Sinai :  we,  with  unveiled  faces,  behold  the 
glory  of  Calvary. 

"I  long  to  be  a  rejoicing  follower  of  our  blessed  Lord.  The  sun  of 
the  gospel  appears  to  me  to  be  concentrating  to  this  focal  point;  the 
rays,  after  covering  a  vast  surface,  converging  in  the  old  command,  upon 
which  hang  all  the  law  and  the  prophets  —  '  Thou  shalt  love.1 

' '  Your  loving  brother. 

"Edward  N.  Kirk." 

Two  weeks  from  the  day  this  letter  was  sent,  the  hand 
which  wrote  it  was  folded  in  death,  and  the  message  was,  to 
the  pastor  and  the  church  receiving  it,  almost  as  a  message 
from  heaven. 

In  the  autumn  of  1857  Dr.  Kirk  returned  to  his  own 
church  and  people.  If  for  a  season  fewer  strangers  had 
found  their  way  to  the  church  on  Ashburton  Place,  it  was  so 
no  longer.     Mount  Vernon  Church  was  itself  again. 

But  the  dark  and  heavy  clouds  of  a  nation's  peril  were  ris- 
ing higher  and  higher,  casting  their  shadows  over  North  and 
South  alike.  The  storm  had  not  yet  completely  gathered, 
but  when  it  should  burst,  this  church  and  its  pastor  would 
be  found  in  their  places.  They  were  wedded  to  each  other 
for  the  great  work. 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

ANTISLAVERY. 
Until  1861. 

In  one  of  the  darkest  days  of  the  civil  war,  when  our  flag 
knew  little  but  defeat,  the  heroic  courage  of  President  Lin- 
coln almost  failed  him.  In  reply  to  some  despondent  ex- 
pression, Mr.  Stanton,  his  secretary  of  war,  asked  him,  "  Mr. 
Lincoln,  have  you  forgotten  that  prayers  are  offered  up  for 
us,  and  the  cause  we  represent,  in  every  sanctuary  of  the 
North  ?  "  The  very  suggestion  chased  away  the  worn  and 
weary  look  from  the  president's  face,  and  he  became  him- 
self again.  So  important  a  part  did  the  churches  and  pas- 
tors of  the  North  fill  in  the  conflict. 

Yet  it  may  be  said  that  for  every  hundred  pulpits  out- 
spoken after  Fort  Sumter  had  become  historic,  there  had 
been  but  one  outspoken  before.  Few  clergymen  had  the 
courage  to  take  the  part  of  the  slave  when  to  speak  was  to 
brave  a  defiant  public  opinion.  Many  of  the  leading  pulpits 
in  the  cities  of  New  England  and  throughout  the  North  were 
apologists  for  the  slave-holder.  Northern  men,  owning  shares 
in  slave-ships,  whose  profits  depended  upon  the  infamous 
traffic,  recommended  their  pastors  to  keep  silence  with  re- 
gard to  the  "  peculiar  institution."  Cotton  was  dubbed 
king  in  the  republic,  and  its  prime  ministers  held  offices 
in  church  and  state.  Bankers  and  merchants,  to  avoid  the 
repudiation  of  what  was  due  them,  complimented  the  pseudo- 
philanthropy  of  the  Southern  gentlemen ;  and  these  bankers 
and  merchants  were  largely  church-going  men.  The  spin- 
dles driven  by  our  northern  rivers   hummed  a  tune  whose 


ANTISLAVERY.  247 

doleful  notes  were  first  struck  upon  the  plantations  of  the 
South.     Cotton  was  king. 

The  "  South-side  View  "  was  elucidated  in  leading  pulpits. 
Great  benevolent  organizations  grew  timorous.  Censors  of 
Christian  publications  eschewed  every  work  offered  upon  the 
curse  of  human  bondage.  Leading  professors  in  our  theolog- 
ical seminaries  argued  that  Christ  did  not  expect  any  break- 
ing of  the  captives'  chains  in  the  nineteenth  century, — 
especially  in  America. 

Our  Constitution  was  interpreted  to  be  a  compromise  in 
order  to  avoid  greater  evils.  Numbers  of  our  statesmen  were 
professional  compromisers.  Principles  of  righteousness  were 
set  aside  for  the  sake  of  expediency.  Upon  the  floor  of  the 
senate,  clear  arguments  for  liberty  were  answered  with  clubs. 
The  pulpits  of  the  South  were  a  unit ;  those  of  the  North  were 
mostly  with  them.  In  an  earlier  day,  a  third  of  the  Congre- 
gational ministers  of  Massachusetts  were  in  antislavery  socie- 
ties ;  but  now  nine  tenths  of  them  were  comparatively  silent 
touching  the  evil  in  their  public  efforts.  The  idol  of  the 
Whig  Party,  in  the  speech  through  whose  murkiness  his  life 
must  always  be  viewed,  said  to  the  sons  of  the  Pilgrims,  Be 
still !     And,  with  few  exceptions,  they  obeyed  him. 

It  cost  something  for  a  minister  of  Christ  to  speak  the 
truth  in  such  times.  The  preacher  of  the  celebrated  ser- 
mon "  Africa,"  delivered  years  before  in  Albany  and  calling 
down  upon  him  the  insults  of  thousands,  was  now  in  the 
Mount  Vernon  pulpit.  He,  too,  for  nearly  a  decade,  con- 
cerned himself  more  with  other  topics  and  themes.  He  was 
never  afraid  to  speak,  yet,  in  the  multitudinous  duties  of  his 
office,  he  referred  only  occasionally  to  what  he  knew  was  a 
national  curse.  He,  too,  hoped  that  Webster's  course  was 
wise. 

But  not  always  such  reticence !  There  came  a  morning 
on  which  Kirk  stood  in  Boston,  as  did  Sumner  on  another  in 
Washington,  unmoved  by  any  considerations  of  policy.  He 
spoke  as  he  had  long  ago  spoken  in  Albany.  He  stood  forth 
at  once  in  the  advance-guard,  with  such  men  as  were  de- 
spised and  insulted,  better  known  as  abolitionists. 


248  LIFE   OF  EDWARD  NORMS   KIRK. 

Hardly  had  the  suns  of  a  year  passed  over  the  grave  of 
Webster  when  the  great  issue  was  presented.  The  "Mis- 
souri Compromise,"  made  in  1820,  had  been  regarded  as  the 
great  wall  against  the  encroachments  of  slavery.  Public 
sentiment  sustained  the  law  in  sending  back  from  every  free 
State  each  fugitive  slave.  But  this  was  not  enough.  In 
1854,  it  was  moved  in  the  national  congress  to  repeal  the 
Missouri  Compromise,  and  thus  decree  slavery  permissible  in 
the  territories  of  Kansas  and  Nebraska,  west  and  north  of 
the  established  limits.  The  movement  was  a  violation  of  pub- 
lic faith,  yet  the  law  was  enacted  granting  the  admission  of 
slavery  provided  a  majority  of  the  people  should  sanction  it. 

The  Mount  Vernon  pulpit  was  from  that  day  abreast  with 
the  foremost.  Politicians  declared  that  politics  in  the  pul- 
pit were  out  of  their  place.  Timid  merchants  said,  "  Preach 
religion  for  our  souls  and  leave  these  secular  themes  for  the 
secular  press."  Legislators  said,  "Ministers  of  Christ  are 
supposed  to  be  ministers  of  peace  ;  why  then  preach  dis- 
cord ?  "  Men  framed  the  laws  in  behalf  of  slavery  by  bribery 
and  chicanery ;  and  then,  turning  especially  to  the  clergy, 
said,  "  Obey  them  that  have  the  rule  over  you." 

But,  somehow,  Dr.  Kirk  did  not  hear  them.  One  voice 
alone  was  distinct,  —  one  "  still  small  voice  ;  "  to  that  he 
gave  heed.  In  an  address  upon  "  The  Clergy  and  the  Slave 
Power,"  he  spoke  as  follows  :  — 

"  Some  of  our  citizens  have  undertaken  to  give  the  Slave  Power  an 
ascendency  in  the  government  of  this  country.  To  effect  their  purpose, 
they  have,  among  other  things,  deemed  it  necessary  to  define  the  powers, 
prerogatives,  rights,  duties,  metes,  and  limits,  of  the  clergy.  Perhaps 
they  have  laid  themselves  open  to  several  rebukes  here.  To  be  sure 
they  have  this  answer  at  hand  to  any  rebukes  coming  from  our  ranks,  — 
the  ignorance  of  civil  affairs  which  the  sacredness  of  their  office  requires 
of  the  clergy  unfits  them  to  judge  of  the  high  functions  and  actions  of  a 
civil  legislator.  Mr.  Timson  may  be  perfectly  cognizable  by  his  father 
while  he  is  making  bureaus  and  tables  in  his  native  village,  but  when 
he  has  passed  the  rubicon  of  an  election  to  congress,  it  becomes  either 
a  sin  or  a  presumption  for  that  same  fatber  to  form  a  judgment  of  his 
legislative  acts,  as  to  their  wisdom,  their  morality,  their  bearings  on  the 
rights  and  civil  responsibilities  of  that  clergyman,  and  of  that  country  in 


ANTISLAVERY.  249 

which  that  clergyman  may  feel  as  deep  and  as  pure  an  interest  as  any 
law-maker  on  the  floor  of  congress. 

"  But  suppose  the  democratic  principles  of  that  cabinet-maker  should 
be  so  refined  as  to  allow  that  the  clergy  and  the  negroes  may  think  ad 
libitum;  the  crime  is  (so  Archbishop  John  has  defined  liberty  of  con- 
science) to  utter  it  when  it  is  thought. 

"  Now,  as  I  am  so  much  of  a  democrat  as  to  suppose  '  a  man  's  a  man 
for  a'  that,  and  a'  that,'  I  will  venture  to  utter  one  or  two  things 
which  I  think  about  our  present  position. 

"  And  my  first  thought  is  a  perplexity.  I  cannot  understand  the  zeal 
of  a  democrat  for  holding  slaves !  The  democrats  of  Europe  hold  three 
doctrines  which  seem  to  me  to  hang  together  logically  and  honestly.  They 
think  a  man  is  a  man,  — under  any  parallel  of  latitude,  with  a  skin  of  any 
color,  a  nose  of  any  shape,  a  heel  of  any  length,  a  hair  of  any  degree  of 
curliness.  And  to  that  they  append  another,  —  that  tyranny  is  the  as- 
sumption of  the  right  by  one  man  to  deny  the  humanity  of  another  man, 
and  the  carrying  that  assumption  into  jiractice,  so  as  to  prevent  one 
man  or  a  hundred  men  from  governing  and  guiding  their  own  actions, 
and  receiving  the  rewards  of  their,  own  labor.  Then  they  have  a  third 
doctrine,  which  is,  —  that  every  democrat  is  bound  to  labor  in  every 
legitimate  way  to  break  down  every  tyranny  in  any  part  of  the  world. 

"  That  seems  to  me  consistent.  But  here  we  have  a  democracy  which 
glories  in  the  right  of  preventing  men  from  being  democrats;  anti-monop- 
olists, who  glory  in  the  power  of  making  every  owner  of  a  slave  thereby 
possess  a  greater  share  of  power  in  the  government  than  one  who  re- 
spects the  right  of  self-government  too  much  to  own  a  slave,  and  so  de- 
prive another  of  that  right.  Yes,  I  am  astonished  that  sensible  democrats 
are  advocating  the  principle  of  offering  a  premium  on  slave-holding. 
They  say  that  if  the  Southern  people  migrate  to  Nebraska,  it  will  not 
increase  the  number  of  slaves  in  the  country.  Admit  that.  But  it  does 
another  thing;  it  gives  to  the  men  holding  these  slaves  the  power  to 
elect  so  many  more  representatives  than  they  could  before. 

"  But,  to  leave  that  aspect  of  the  matter  in  the  hands  of  statesmen,  I 
wish  to  affirm  here,  for  the  information  of  any  who  may  wish  to  know 
why  the  clergymen  of  New  England  have  taken  this  subject  in  hand  as 
they  have,  that  we  regard  the  present  attitude  of  our  government  as 
revolutionary.  And  we  who  would  stand  in  our  pulpits,  and  preach  and 
pray  against  nullification  in  the  harbor  of  Boston  ;  against  rebellion  in 
the  streets  of  Boston ;  for  the  same  reasons,  and  from  the  same  impulses, 
in  our  pulpits  preach  and  pray  against  revolutionary  action  in  the  legis- 
lative halls  of  Washington.  If,  however,  Senator  Douglas  and  Presi- 
dent Pierce  can  show  us,  not  by  violent  language,  but  by  reasoning,  that 
we  misapprehend  the  subject,  we  are  perfectly  open  to  conviction.  We 
belong  to  no  parties  in  church  or  state.     We  exult  in  the  freedom  where- 


250  LIFE   OF   EDWARD  NORMS   KIRK. 

■with  Christ  has  made  us  free,  and  of  which  neither  pope  nor  president 
can  deprive  us.  And  we  are  very  thankful  for  the  freedom  of  speech 
and  of  the  press  which  our  Constitution  guarantees  to  us;  and  which, 
we  pray  God,  we  may  never  be  permitted  to  abuse.  We  have  no  inter- 
ests to  promote  but  such  as  belong  in  common  to  every  citizen  of  this 
beloved  republic,  be  he  black  or  white,  Christian  or  infidel. 

"  But  we  are  both  citizens  and  ministers  of  Jesus  Christ.  We  are 
intrusted  by  our  Maker  with  certain  degrees  of  power,  to  be  employed 
according  to  our  best  judgment  ;  and  are  under  responsibility  to  our 
God  to  promote  the  best  temporal  and  eternal  interests  of  men.  We 
are  thankful  to  any  man  who  will  show  us  our  duty.  But  we  shall  fol- 
low, not  another  man's,  but  our  own  convictions  of  duty.  And  on  this 
one  thing  these  political  gentlemen  must  calculate  :  that,  until  our  con- 
victions are  changed  by  new  light,  we  shall  lay  the  entire  weight  of  our 
influence,  be  it  more,  be  it  less,  in  the  path  of  those  who  attempt  to  carry 
out  the  present  policy  of  the  general'government  in  regard  to  the  institu- 
tion of  slavery. 

"  In  a  sermon  preached  in  reference  to  the  Nebraska  Bill,  while  yet 
before  the  lower  house,  I  affirmed  that  the  measure  was  revolutionary; 
and  that,  if  it  was  adopted,  it  would  put  the  country  back  of  all  compro- 
mises, even  that  of  the  Constitution  itself,  which  secures  the  rendition  of 
fugitive  slaves.  For  the  sake  of  others'  opinions,  that  portion  was  not 
published  in  the  discourse.  I  now  should  prefer  that  it  had  been  ;  for 
that  is  my  conviction.  And  for  the  defense  of  it,  one  remark  may  at 
present  suffice. 

"  When  the  Constitution  was  formed,  the  slave-holders  demanded,  as 
an  ultimatum,  that  they  should  be  allowed  to  hunt  and  retake  their  prey 
on  free  territory.  It  was  reluctantly  conceded  ;  but  it  was  conceded. 
Another  point  was  conceded,  in  consideration  of  the  sparse  population 
necessarily  found  where  slavery  exists.  It  was,  that  "representatives 
shall  be  apportioned  among  the  States  by  adding  to  the  whole  number  of 
free  persons,  three  fifths  of  all  other  persons."  The  day  that  Missouri 
was  admitted  as  a  slave  State,  the  revolutionary  wedge  was  entered. 
But  the  movement  of  the  last  month  is  a  more  undisguised  and  unquali- 
fied avowal  of  the  Slave  Power  on  these  points  :  — 

"1.  That  slavery  is  a  permanent  and  not  a  decaying  institution. 

"2.  Tbat  the  general  government  shall  so  far  recognize  it  as  conso- 
nant to  the  genius  of  our  institutions,  as  to  use  none  of  its  2JOwer  against 
the  increase  of  slavery  and  slave  territory. 

"3.  That  the  floor  of  congress  is  a  gambling-board,  where  southern 
votes  are  to  be  played  for  by  northern  gamblers. 

"  4.  That  the  great  interest  of  this  government  is,  to  make  slave- 
holding  honorable ;  and  the  chief  glory  of  American  history,  that  it 
makes  men  free  to  hold  slaves. 


ANTISLAVERY.  251 

"  5.  That  under  the  guise  of  democracy  this  land  is  to  be  converted 
into  a  slave-market  ;  and  the  one  hundred  millions  of  white  democrats 
who  are  to  rule  in  it  are  to  have  fifteen  millions  of  slaves. 

"  6.  That  loyalty  in  the  North  is  to  sustain  one-sided  compromises,  to 
fulfill  broken  treaties,  to  send  back  their  fellow-citizens  to  bondage,  and 
then  let  slave-holders  and  their  flatterers  do  what  they  please  with  their 
own  pledges." 

On  the  19th  and  20th  of  May,  1856,  Charles  Sumner 
delivered  his  great  speech  upon  "  The  Crime  against  Kan- 
sas." Two  days  later,  Preston  S.  Brooks  of  South  Carolina 
felled  him  to  the  floor,  —  a  Southern  tribute  to  Northern 
free  speech.  His  constituents  presented  Mr.  Brooks  with 
another  cane  in  appreciation  of  his  services  to  the  country. 
Meantime  the  constituents  of  Mr.  Sumner  apprehended  the 
situation. 

The  following  extracts  from  a  sermon  by  Dr.  Kirk  the  suc- 
ceeding Sabbath  morning  display  an  almost  prophetic  insight 
into  the  terrible  events  that  five  years  were  to  bring :  — 

"  The  Slave  Power  is  now  ready  for  a  struggle.  Justice  and  oppres- 
sion have  now  met  in  the  field  of  contest.  Kansas  is  our  Sebastopol. 
The  war  centres  there.  And  I  fully  believe  that,  unless  there  be  a 
special  interposition  of  Heaven,  neither  party  will  yield  until  such  a  war 
has  been  gone  through  as  the  world  has  not  seen.  I  am  not  saying  what 
will  actually  take  place;  but  am  merely  describing  what  threatens  to 
occur,  and  where  we  are.  I  am  merely  pointing  to  the  thunder-cloud 
that  hangs  over  us,  ready  to  discharge  its  terrific  battery.  God  may 
avert  it.  Man  cannot.  Coaxing,  compromise,  let-alone,  are  all  too  late. 
Depend,  my  fellow-citizens,  depend  upon  it,  Mr.  Brooks  is  nothing  in 
this  matter;  Mr.  Douglas  is  nothing;  the  Democratic  Party  is  nothing; 
nor  any  other  party.  Canning's  prophecy,  that  wars  were  henceforward 
to  be  wars  of  principles,  is  here  about  to  be  fulfilled. 

"  The  doctrine  that  a  negro  is  not  a  man  and  the  doctrine  that  the  negro 
is  a  man,  have  now  come  to  the  death-grapple;  and  a  nation  will  heave 
with  every  convulsive  struggle  of  the  contest.  Neither  party  will  yield 
until  a  continent  has  been  swept  with  the  deluge  of  civil  war.  The  party 
that  counts  upon  the  cowardice  of  the  other,  miscalculates.  You  cannot 
frighten,  you  cannot  persuade  men  trained  from  infancy  to  play  with 
negi-oes  and  to  abuse  them  with  impunity.  They  are  accustomed  to  dic- 
tate; to  have  their  will  executed,  not  resisted;  to  use  violence  where  it  is 
resisted,  —  and  this  even  toward  their  friends :  how  much  more  toward 
us,  whom  they  affect  to  despise !     But  they  equally  miscalculate,  if  they 


252  LIFE  OF  EDWARD  NORRIS  KIRK. 

count  upon  our  cowardice.  They  will  try  the  cry  of  "the  Union,"  as 
long  as  it  will  make  us  submissive.  That  game  is  now  over.  Two  races 
are  growing  up  here  that  cannot  live  peaceably  until,  like  Russia  and  the 
western  Powers,  they  have  fought  each  other  into  a  new  treaty.  The 
practice  of  carrying  bowie-knives,  cowhides,  and  pistols,  as  part  of  a 
gentleman's  equipment,  —  as  necessary,  even  at  home.among  friends,  we 
must  regard  as  evidences  of  a  march  backward  toward  the  savage  state. 
The  false  sense  of  honor,  the  boast  of  chivalry  in  the  nineteenth  century 
of  the  Christian  era,  the  murders  and  duels  in  which  men  of  the  South 
and  Southwest  are  so  constantly  engaged,  —  all  these  we  must  regard  as 
a  natural  growth  of  that  peculiar  doctrine.  And  when  this  southern 
chivalry  undertakes  to  form  the  customs  of  Freedom's  metropolis,  and 
gutta-percha  bludgeons  take  the  place  of  candid  discussion,  the  friends  of 
freedom  will  bear  it  no  longer.  And  to  that  point,  I  believe  in  the  depth 
of  my  soul,  we  have  now  come.  What,  then,  is  before  us?  War,  war; 
fratricidal  war! 

"  There  are  cowards  at  the  South,  and  cowards  at  the  North.  The 
former  can  whip  men  that  are  pinioned,  and  can  challenge  men  who  do 
not  set  up  their  lives  at  the  same  price  as  a  ruffian's.  The  latter  can 
goad  others  on  to  a  war  in  which  they  mean  to  take  no  dangerous  place 
or  part.  But  when  you  have  put  them  aside,  there  remain  men,  on  both 
sides,  who  will  go  to  the  end,  after  a  beginning  is  made.  But  if  we  be- 
gin, even  the  cowards  must  at  length  fight.  And  when  man  has  tasted 
blood,  he  becomes  a  tiger;  the  angelic,  the  human,  retires;  the  animal 
comes  up  to  control  his  powers  and  guide  his  actions. 

"  Some  talk  coolly  about  dissolving  the  Union.  There  is,  probably, 
but  one  dissolution  to  be  brought  about  by  a  fanatical  war,  of  which,  at 
length,  men  will  become  weary;  and  then  some  Napoleon  I.  or  Napoleon 
III.  will  take  the  reins  of  empire  ;  and  so  many  white  men  as  may  be  left, 
will  make  up,  with  the  negro,  the  slave  population  of  America.  Yes, 
you  can  dissolve  the  Union,  —  not  into  North  and  South.  When  it  takes 
place,  believe  me,  it  will  be  a  moral  dissolution,  not  a  territorial  separa- 
tion. When  brothers  fight,  they  fight  to  the  death.  And  when  the 
Union  is  dissolved,  Freedom  bids  the  western  hemisphere  farewell;  the 
hopes  of  our  fathers,  the  hopes  of  the  oppressed,  the  hopes  of  the  best 
spirits  in  Europe,  sink  for  the  present  century! 

"  I  am  afraid  that  a  cowardly  calculation  emboldens  some  of  us.  They 
seem  to  rest  in  the  expectation  that  in  case  of  war  the  negro  population 
will  join  us;  or,  at  least,  will  make  so  strong  a  police  necessary,  as  to 
cripple  the  Southern  military  power.  But  this  may  prove  a  very  vain 
calculation.  My  firm  belief  is,  that  a  civil  war  in  America  will  be  a  war 
of  the  world.  The  despotic  powers  of  Europe,  —  the  Catholic  powers, 
will  take  the  side  of  the  Cavaliers  against  the  Puritans." 


ANTISLAVERY.  253 

Referring  to  the  tragedy  in  the  senate,  he  thus  spoke :  — 

"  We  need  distinctly  to  recognize  our  perilous  and  painful  condition. 
Even  if  there  were  no  danger  for  the  future,  it  is  a  spectacle  which  no 
American  citizen  can  contemplate  without  a  sense  of  humiliation,  that 
ruffianism  has  now  become  the  order  of  the  day  in  the  conduct  of  our 
national  affairs.  Cold-blooded  murder,  marauding  bands  of  drunken 
brawlers,  are  now  representing  the  purposes  and  appliances  of  slavery  in 
a  new  territory.  Ruffianism  now  penetrates  the  senate  chamber  of  the 
United  States  —  the  sacred  senate  chamber  —  and  stains  it  with  the 
blood  of  one  whose  office  alone  should  have  shielded  him  from  violence  ; 
—  the  senate  chamber,  next  to  the  sanctuaries  of  God,  the  most  sacred 
spot  within  our  vast  borders ;  the  senate  chamber,  which  once  presented 
the  sublimest  spectacle  on  earth,  where  the  learned,  wise,  and  grave  law- 
makers, sent  up  by  the  sovereign  States,  assembled  to  guard  the  rights 
and  freedom  of  these  millions ;  the  senate  chamber  now  become  an  ap- 
pendage to  the  bar-room,  where  violence  and  scurrility  supply  the  place 
of  argument,  where  reason  and  philanthropy,  where  justice  and  truth, 
have  been  stricken  down  by  brute  force,  in  the  person  of  their  represen- 
tative, because  he  had  dared  to  utter  language  offensive  to  the  ears  of 
slave-owners  ! 

"  American  citizens  !  Do  you  know  where  you  are,  and  what  this 
means;  are  you  awake,  or  are  you  dreaming;  are  you  not  afraid;  do  you 
believe  that  this  is  the  end  ?  God  calls  you  to  turn  aside  from  your 
merchandise,  your  schemes  of  accumulation,  your  party  manoeuvres,  and 
look  on  the  terrible  chasm  that  now  yawns  at  your  feet  !  If  you  recog- 
nize the  evil,  then  recognize  the  hand  of  God  in  it.  Put  away  forever 
the  false  philosophy  that  excludes  the  Maker  from  his  works,  God  from 
the  events  of  his  own  providence.  Remember  that  when  Assyria  con- 
quered and  oppressed  Israel,  Israel's  God  employed  her  as  the  rod  of  his 
anger.  He  raised  up  Jeroboam  to  punish  Solomon's  defection,  and  Ab- 
salom to  punish  David's  transgressions.  Ruffians  are  his  instruments, 
when  He  would  scourge  a  proud,  careless,  disobedient  people.  Let  us 
look  away  from  man,  so  far  as  to  see  the  hand  of  an  offended  God;  for 
He  is  threatening  to  remove  our  candlestick  out  of  its  place." 

It  will  be  interesting  to  trace  the  steps  by  which  this 
point  of  intense  antislavery  feeling  and  conviction  had  been 
reached.  As  already  hinted,  Dr.  Kirk  only  came  to  it  by 
degrees.  The  germ  of  the  principle  of  liberty  was  early 
planted. 

"My  attention  was  turned  to  the  African  race  in  early  boyhood  by  a 
single  expression  of  my  mother.     One  day  I  made  some  careless  refer- 


254  LITE  OF  EDWARD  NORMS  KIRK. 

ence  to  her  about  a  nigger.  She  was  a  woman  of  great  decision,  kind- 
ness, and  common  sense.  She  gave  me  a  look  which  abides  until  tbis 
day,  earnestly  remarking,  '  Never  let  me  bear  tbat  word  from  you  again  ! ' 
The  seed  was  there  planted  ;  it  grew  into  the  Christian  idea  in  my  mind, 
that  a  negro  is  a  man.  Living  in  New  Jersey,  almost  on  the  borders  of 
the  Southern  States,  the  idea  did  not  germinate  very  rapidly  ;  for  the 
general  impression  of  the  community,  as  I  remember  it,  was  :  He  is  a 
kind  of  amphibious  being,  living  more  in  the  domain  of  beasts  of  burden 
than  of  manhood." 

When  the  colonization  movement  began,  he  was  entirely- 
ready  to  enter  into  that  with  enthusiasm.  There  was  a 
society  in  the  theological  seminary  at  Princeton,  which  he 
addressed  upon  the  subject  while  a  student.  He  was  ap- 
pointed a  delegate  from  the  seminary  to  attend  the  annual 
meeting  of  the  Colonization  Society  at  Washington  about 
1824. 

During  the  period  of  his  Albany  pastorate  the  Hon.  George 
Thompson,  on  a  visit  to  this  country,  made  an  address  in 
which  he  convincingly  declared  that  the  Colonization  Society, 
formed  by  men  of  true  benevolence,  had  become  a  safety- 
valve  for  the  escape  of  many  of  the  dangerous  gases  formed 
by  slavery  ;  that  this  had  made  it  popular  with  many  of  even 
the  negro-hating  slave-holders.  His  laconic  description  of 
the  society  was  :  "  It  is  a  sponge,  absorbing  all  the  sympa- 
thies of  the  friends  of  the  black  man."  Mr.  Kirk  then  dis- 
covered that  there  was  in  this  no  remedy  for  slavery  ;  and 
he  accordingly  entered  the  ranks  of  the  abolitionists. 

During  his  visit  in  Europe  in  1837,  addressing  an  antislav- 
ery  meeting  in  London,  he  remarked  that  there  were  two 
methods  of  dealing  with  the  slave-holders  :  the  one  regarded 
them  as  men  to  be  scolded  into  their  duty ;  the  other,  as  to 
a  large  extent  having  as  much  conscience  and  kindness  as 
other  men,  and  accordingly  to  be  convinced  and  persuaded  to 
do  right.  He  expressed  his  approbation  of  the  latter  course, 
and  gave  the  following  illustration :  "  Many  of  the  abolition- 
ists are  infidels.  Imagine  one  of  them  sitting  in  the  pew 
and  myself  in  the  pulpit.  There  are  two  methods :  I  might 
say,  '  You  are  a  vile  infidel ;  you  must  repent ;  '  and,  to  en- 


ANTISLAVERY.  255 

force  my  argument,  I  might  descend  from  the  pulpit  and  add 
the  blow  with  the  force  of  my  fists  to  the  blow  of  my  words. 
That  method  is  virtually  adopted  by  many  of  my  country- 
men. Objurgation  and  censure  constitute  the  artillery  which 
these  men  employ.  To  me  it  seems  preferable  to  feel  after 
whatever  of  conscience  and  humanity  there  is  in  the  South, 
and  enlist  it  to  destroy  slavery  by  the  only  means  in  my 
view  feasible,  —  a  peaceable  change  of  the  laws  which  give 
slavery  its  existence.  The  genius  of  slavery  will  never  be 
rebuked  by  the  genius  of  infidelity,  but  will  ever  be  crying, 
as  of  old,  '  Jesus  I  know,  and  Paul  I  know  ;  but  who  are 
ye?'" 

In  a  short  time,  he  saw  an  antislavery  paper  from  the 
United  States  reporting  his  speech  and  informing  him  that 
his  absence  from  the  antislavery  ranks  would  be  more  wel- 
come to  his  brethren  than  his  presence.  His  zeal,  however, 
never  abated,  nor  did  he  ever  lose  an  opportunity,  in  the 
Northern  or  Southern  States,  with  abolitionists  or  slave- 
holders, to  express  his  abhorrence  of  slavery. 

"  I  remember  a  conversation  with  the  Hon.  Langdon  Cheves  which 
surprised  me  by  revealing  to  me  the  views  of  a  Southern  statesman  in 
regard  to  the  Americo- African  race.  It  must  have  been  about  1825.  I 
inquired  what  were  his  anticipations  concerning  that  race.  He  replied, 
'  I  expect  them  to  dispossess  the  whites  and  become  the  sole  inhabitants 
of  the  Gulf  States.' 

"I  was  in  Boston  when  the  last  stages  of  the  struggle  between  the 
friends  of  freedom  and  the  opposers  of  slavery  commenced.  Brethren  in 
the  ministry,  prominent  members  of  my  own  and  other  churches,  either 
approved  of  slavery  or  of  letting  it  alone.  Many  a  sermon,  many  a  re- 
mark, have  I  made  in  my  pulpit  on  this  subject,  to  the  manifest  grief  of 
beloved  friends.  Many  a  remonstrance  and  persuasion  was  employed  to 
prevent  even  an  allusion  to  it.  I  had  even  been  insulted  by  friends,  lay 
and  clerical,  because  I  would  plead  for  the  oppressed.  In  the  most  terri- 
ble crisis  of  our  civil  war  I  was  unwilling  to  have  our  Christian  fellow- 
citizens  called  together  for  prayer  ;  because  there  must  be  an  utter 
silence  before  God  concerning  the  very  sin  which  had  made  the  war,  or 
unkindly  feelings,  if  not  discussion,  by  the  mention.  A  prayer-meeting 
about  the  war,  without  an  allusion  to  slavery,  seemed  to  me  as  solemn  a 
farce  as  a  prayer-meeting  for  the  removal  of  a  pestilence  without  any 
reference  being  made  to  the  disease.     When  the  Missionary  Association 


256  LIFE   OF  EDWARD  NORMS   KIRK. 

was  formed,  I  was  not  prepared  to  censure  the  American  Board,  and 
join  an  institution  formed  in  direct  antagonism  to  theni.  But  it  was  a 
striking  revolution  of  sentiment  in  a  large  number  of  us,  when  we  gave 
in  our  adhesion  to  it,  —  I  think  at  the  annual  meeting  in  New  Haven. 
We  had  then  discovered  the  wisdom  of  God  in  causing  that  institution  to 
be  organized  which  we  saw  so  wonderfully  adapted  to  the  new  and  won- 
derful crisis  of  the  day." 

At  a  meeting  in  the  Old  South  Church,  in  which  several 
addresses  were  made,  Dr.  Kirk  took  ground  which  startled 
his  colleagues.  Dr.  Gannett  privately  remarked  to  him, 
"  You  go  entirely  beyond  me."  The  occasion  had  some  ref- 
erence to  the  colored  race.  The  substance  of  his  prophecy 
was  this :  — 

"  It  will  yet  be  found  that  God  is  making  a  nation  here 
which  shall  give  full  scope  to  the  best  peculiarities  of  every 
race  on  the  globe.  It  may  yet  be  found  that  the  negro  pos- 
sesses elements,  in  a  peculiar  degree,  which  shall  be  found  to 
be  indispensable  in  the  highest  form  of  fully  developed  man- 
hood. Among  these  elements  we  may  already  anticipate  the 
sesthetical  or  the  social.  The  African  is  now  crudely  fond 
of  bright  colors,  polished  manners,  mirth  and  song :  a  being 
peculiarly  susceptible  of  gratitude,  veneration,  and  social  at- 
tachment. Under  the  refining  influences  of  Christianity, 
education,  freedom,  American  citizenship,  his  may  be  no 
small  share  of  contribution  to  the  grander  civilization  of  the 
coming  age."  Time  alone  will  demonstrate  the  truth  or 
the  falsity  of  his  opinions. 

Dr.  Kirk  was  a  radical  trying  to  be  loyal  to  truth  in  all 
its  forms.  His  radicalism  found  its  scope  in  many  avenues. 
He  believed  that  the  Gospels  were  the  most  revolutionary 
books  in  his  library,  embracing  all  the  virtues  in  their  cata- 
logue, and  condemning  vice  in  every  form.  He  was  not  a 
man  of  one  idea,  unless  the  gospel  could  be  termed  the  one 
great  idea  covering  all  others :  — 

"You  may  carry  your  zeal  very  far;  yes,  you  may  even  be  radical; 
only  do  not  repeat  the  blunder  I  committed  last  summer.  A  friend  hav- 
ing set  me  to  weeding  in  his  garden,  I  came  to  a  bed  of  beets ;  and,  in 
the  fervor  of  my  radicalism,  I  said  to  everything  in  the  spot,  Woe  to 


ANTISLAVERY.  257 

thee,  thou  unfortunate  intruder,  if  thou  canst  not  say  the  shibboleth  of 
the  beet-party!  But,  alas  !  my  friend  had  placed  some  favorite  parsnips 
in  the  same  inclosure.  What  cared  I  for  parsnips?  Nay,  rather,  what 
knew  I  about  them?  And,  with  my  sharp  reforming  instrument,  I  made 
radical  work  among  the  parsnips  as  well  as  the  weeds.  And  some  of  my 
neighbors  have  made  the  same  mistake.  They  began  weeding  out-  from 
their  hearts  some  pro-this  and  pro-that  which  they  had  discovered,  to  sub- 
stitute some  anti-this  or  anti-that.  But,  alas!  charity,  modesty,  humility, 
and  I  know  not  what  other  lovely  plants,  fall  under  the  swoop  of  their 
sharp  weeding-instrument.     One  of  the  best  ways  of  reforming  the  world 

—  that  is,  for  a  great  many  of  us  —  will  be,  to  reform  ourselves." 

True  to  his  zealous  purpose,  he  planned,  in  1860,  a  South- 
ern tour  with  his  friends  the  Hon.  Gardiner  G.  Hubbard, 
of  Boston,  and  Professor  Guyot,  of  Princeton.  The  reasons 
for  this  trip,  and  the  early  incidents  of  it,  are  thus  given  :  — 

"  I  had  been  desirous  to  spend  as  much  time  as  possible  among  slave- 
holders. My  hope  for  abolishing  slavery  had  been  in  them.  And 
though  one  man  can  do  little  to  affect  such  a  body  of  people,  every  one  is 
responsible  to  do  just  what  he  can.     And  there  was  one  thing  I  could  do, 

—  help  keep  before  slave-holders  considerations  which,  in  their  circum- 
stances, they  easily  forget.  Public  sentiment  had  slid  backwards  per- 
haps more  rapidly  in  this  country  on  the  subject  of  chattelism  than  ever 
before  on  any  other  subject  in  any  part  of  the  world.  I  had  wished  the 
masters  to  abolish  the  system,  and  therefore  felt  that  my  business  was 
with  them. 

"I  left  Boston  on  the  afternoon  of  Tuesday,  July  24,  1860,  with  my 
friend  Hubbard.  We  sent  our  trunks  on  to  Abington,  Virginia,  by  rail- 
way, overtaking  them  there  on  Thursday  afternoon.  It  is  a  genuine 
Southern  town.  The  stamp  on  them  all,  to  a  Northern  eye,  is  perfectly 
distinct  and  uniform.  The  only  exceptions  I  have  ever  seen  are  in  the 
new  towns,  Chattanooga  and  others,  which  the  railways  have  brought 
into  existence.  The  peculiarity  is  the  evident  result  of  slavery.  Slavery 
is  a  system  designed  to  enrich  the  master  alone.  The  slave's  wealth,  his 
elevation  as  a  man,  is  an  object  at  which  the  system  cannot  aim,  or  it 
must  lose  its  identity.  Hence  there  is  always  a  manifestation  of  the  im- 
providence and  uncleanliness  of  the  negro,  and  the  indolence  of  the  mas- 
ter, in  the  out-houses,  fences,  streets,  and  roads.  Put  me  down  in  a 
slave  country  from  a  balloon,  and  I  would  know  it  by  almost  an  instinct, 
by  my  eyes,  and  by  my  ears.  The  whole  white  population  speak  a  lan- 
guage peculiar  to  themselves,  not  only  in  its  provincial  terms  and  phrases, 
but  also  in  its  pronunciation.  The  African  blood  has  no  more  surely 
tainted  the  white  in  all  that  unhappy  country,  than  the  African  speech 
IT 


258  LIFE   OF  EDWARD   NORMS   KIRK. 

lias  tainted  the  purity  of  the  English  tongue.  I  will  mention  a  few  in- 
stances. 

They  are  a  superlative  people,  and  have  exaggerated  so  much,  that 
the  word  mighty  has  come  to  be  used  ridiculously.  Speaking  of  a  man 
who  has  been  severely  injured,  they  will  say,  '  He  had  a  mighty  small 
chance  of  getting  over  it.'  A  man  will  ask  if  he  may  tote  your  plunder 
meaning,  carry  your  baggage.  A  man  was  selling  his  fruit :  he  had  a 
right  smart  little  chance  of  getting  rid  of  all  of  it.  One  was  comparing 
the  slaves  with  '  you  poor  people  that  have  to  sell  goods,  and  do  carpenter 
and  other  degrading  work;'  he  said:  '  Them  niggers  is  a  heap  better  off 

than  them  poor ;'   (no  matter  for  the  other  elegant  term).      'Her 

parents  give  her  a  mighty  good  chance  of  education.'  '  That  fellow  is  a 
heap  stronger  than  you.'  '  Oh,  yes,  Mr.  Johnson  is  a  peart  man.'  I  as- 
sure you  that  all  through  the  States  south  of  Virginia,  that  is  the  kind 
of  lingo  you  will  hear  all  day  from  three  fourths  of  white  and  black  out 
of  the  large  towns. 

"  Abington  is  reviving  by  the  influences  of  the  railway.  We  remained 
there  until  Monday,  to  make  as  good  a  selection  of  horses  as  possible,  as 
we  were  from  that  point  to  take  the  saddle." 

The  narrative  is  continued  in  letters  to  his  sisters  and  to 
his  friend  Mrs.  Hubbard.  He  begins  with  one  to  Mrs.  Hub- 
bard, whom  he  had  known  intimately  from  her  girlhood  :  — 

"Burnsville,  N".  C,  August  2,  1860. 

"  Dear  Gertrude,  —  Here  we  are  in  the  midst  of  the  mountains,  in 
the  highest  town  of  the  State,  it  is  said;  and  to  our  great  delight  we 
find  that  we  can  ascend  the  Black  Mountains  and  revisit  the  scenes  which 
you  and  I  so  much  enjoyed  together.  We  shall  pass  the  night  at  Wil- 
son's, and  in  the  morning  ascend  to  Clingman's  Peak,  and  pass  the  night 
at  the  Mountain  House.  We  have  been  greatly  favored  in  all  our  jour- 
ney. The  horses  we  purchased  are  strong,  and  endure  the  journey  per- 
fectly well,  so  that  I  am  now,  for  the  first  time,  realizing  my  ideal  of 
traveling  on  horseback.  Last  summer's  experience  seemed  to  explode 
all  my  plans,  cherished  for  years,  of  an  equestrian  tour.  But  now  we 
are  successfully  through  the  first  three,  and  nearly  the  fourth  day's  jour- 
ney, a  little  fatigued,  but  improved  in  health  and  increased  in  the  power 
of  performing  and  capacity  of  enduring.  Our  first  day's  journey  was 
twenty-eight  miles,  the  second,  twenty-four  ;  the  third,  thirty  ;  and  to- 
day we  have  come  twenty-four  at  one  stage,  intending  to  add  ten  to 
them.     Is  not  that  well? 

' '  But  you  should  see  your  loving  spouse  and  his  friend.  Neither  of 
them  having  looked  at  a  razor  for  more  than  a  week,  it  would  be  difficult 
for  you  to  fancy  their  present  appearance.     Gardiner  is  lying  on  the  bed, 


ANTISLAVERY.  259 

and  requests  me  to  hand  him  the  mirror.  My  reply  is,  that  it  has  already 
one  crack,  and  I  cannot  contribute  to  the  production  of  another.  He 
then  tries  to  get  off  some  severe  rejoinder  in  regard  to  my  visage,  but  as 
the  rocks  unharmed  dash  back  the  foaming  waves  of  the  sea,  so  my  ven- 
erable beard  dashes  back  the  waves  of  ridicule.  I  am  sorry  to  find  that 
we  are  to  be  so  short  a  time  with  Mr.  Guyot.  But  one  week  on  the 
mountains  with  him  will  be  a  great  privilege  to  enjoy.  We  have  thus 
far  met  no  embarrassment  from  our  being  residents  of  a  Northern  State. 
On  the  contrary  every  one  talks  with  us  candidly  and  kindly  on  the 
terrible  theme;  and  one  old  gentleman  in  Tennessee,  as  I  was  leaving 
his  mansion,  knighted  me  by  bestowing  upon  me  a  spur  and  putting  it 
with  his  own  hand  upon  my  feet.  When  shall  we  hear  from  you,  and 
know  how  you  are?     Kind  remembrance  to  all  who  are  with  you. 

"  Yours,  as  ever,  most  affectionately, 

"  Edw.  N.  Kirk." 

It  must  be  borne  in  mind  that  the  time  chosen  for 
this  journey  was  during  the  exciting  campaign  which  re- 
sulted in  the  election  of  Abraham  Lincoln  to  the  presidency 
of  the  nation.  In  more  ways  than  one  the  journey  could 
not  be  termed  "  smooth."  In  going  southward  a  canvas  was 
made  in  one  of  the  trains  as  to  the  purpose  of  the  voters. 
Only  two  announced  their  intention  to  vote  for  Mr.  Lincoln ; 
these  were  Dr.  Kirk  and  his  friend  Hubbard.  News  of 
their  choice  for  president  was  carried  to  the  passengers  in 
another  car,  where  it  was  seriously  debated  whether  the  two 
republicans  should  be  put  off  the  train.  They  were  saved 
only  by  the  fact  that  in  declaring  their  preference  they  were 
answering  a  civil  question  ;  and  did  not  announce  their  opin- 
ions unsought. 

In  Franklin,  N.  C,  the  proposition  was  made  to  tar  and 
feather  them.  In  Marietta,  Ga.,  they  were  threatened  by  a 
mob.  The  tragic,  comic,  and  real,  gave  zest  to  the  excur- 
sion. 

"  Black  Mountains,  August  3,  1860. 
"Dear  Gertrude,  —  I  go  right  on,  not  leaving  Gardiner  room  for 
his  signature.  But  you  are  so  familiar  with  it  that  your  imagination  can 
supply  the  vacancy.  Here  we  are,  on  that  piazza  on  which  you  and  I 
passed  so  many  delightful  hours.  Everything  is  unchanged,  even  the 
work-bench  that  limited  our  promenade.  You  remember  my  apprehen- 
sion lest  the  rattlesnakes  should  come  up  the  great  chasms  in  the  hearth. 


260  LIFE   OF  EDWARD  NORMS   KIRK 

They  remain  as  great  and  as  alarming  as  they  were  four  years  ago. 
That  room  is  now  appropriated  to  ladies;  but  as  none  are  now  here,  we 
are  allowed  to  take  it.  And  here  we  are  requesting  the  landlord  not  to 
let  the  fire  go  down. 

"  The  scene  is  unchanged,  and  will  be  so  centuries  hence.  And  yet, 
while  the  main  features  are  immutable,  the  Creator's  kindness  is  mani- 
fested in  throwing  the  varied  drapery  of  ever  changing  lights  around 
these  everlasting  hills.  We  have  just  been  witnessing  such  a  display  of 
clouds  as  I  have  never  before  witnessed.  From  every  valley  gray  mists 
were  rolling  up  to  the  summits.  Earth  was  returning  to  the  heavens  the 
first-fruits  of  the  blessing  it  had  just  been  so  copiously  receiving.  And 
the  sun  before  closing  his  day's  task  did  not  deem  it  beneath  his  dignity 
to  bring  out  his  magic  pencil  and  touch  the  panorama  with  varied  colors. 
The  whole  process  of  cloud-making  passed  before  us.  And  once  a  vast 
bank,  —  terminated  not  as  usually  by  graceful  convolutions  of  various 
shades,  but  cold,  abrupt,  even  perpendicular,  until  it  resembled  the  wall 
of  some  giant's  castle.  And  even  the  parapets  were  not  wanting.  This 
dense  mass  of  vapor  concealed  the  sun  from  our  view  but  did  not  prevent 
the  mighty  orb  from  pouring  his  beams  of  bronze  through  the  opaque 
substance.  In  a  word,  the  scene  has  lost  nothing  to  our  memories  or 
feelings  by  a  second  visit.  And  if  you  were  with  us,  a  third  visit  would 
probably  but  increase  them. 

"  Will  you  observe  in  the  papers  (for  we  are  not  in  the  same  sphere 
with  them)  whether  on  the  night  of  Thursday,  August  2d,  about  ten  or 
eleven  o'clock,  an  extraordinary  meteor  was  observed  anywhere.  Last 
night  I  could  not  well  compose  myself  to  sleep  when  I  reflected  what  an 
amount  of  humanity  was  compi'essed  into  that  one  sleeping-room  :  our 
experience  at  Smith's  is  not  to  be  mentioned  in  the  same  day  with  this. 
At  about  half  past  ten  a  strange  blue  light  flashed  in  at  all  the  chinks 
of  the  wall.  The  master  of  the  house  and  its  mistress  started  from  their 
couch  and  rushed  out  of  doors  to  see  if  the  house  was  on  fire.  The  light 
seemed  to  me  to  pass  from  the  east  to  the  west,  and  grow  in  intensity 
until  it  vanished.  This  appearance,  however,  may  have  been  caused 
simply  by  the  fact  that  the  largest,  opening  between  the  logs  composing 
our  walls  was  on  the  western  side. 

"I  have  just  asked  Gardiner  to  study  his  geography  and  ascertain  if 
we  cannot  fix  upon  some  place  to  which  letters  may  be  sent  us.  Now  I 
must  bid  you  good-night,  praying  for  the  richest  blessings  upon  my  dear 
friend.  "  Ever  yours, 

"Edward  N.  Kirk." 

"  Asheville,  N.  C,  August  4,  1860. 
"  My   dear   Sisters,  —  ....  On  Thursday  we  reached  Wilson's 
cabin,  at  the  foot  of  the  Black  Mountains.     In  one  room  slept  Mr.  and 


ANTISLAVERY.  261 

Mrs.  Wilson,  Peggy,  a  young  lady,  six  young  Wilsons,  Mr.  Hubbard 
and  your  brother.  When  the  ladies  saw  us  preparing  to  retire  to  our 
corner  of  the  room,  they  retired  to  the  outside  of  the  house.  When  they 
returned,  the  light  was  extinguished  ;  then  day  dresses,  I  suppose,  were 
exchanged  for  those  of  the  night;  and  in  a  few  moments  we  were  each 
in  our  allotted  place  for  rest. 

"  On  Friday  we  took  Wilson  and  ascended  where  few  horsemen  have 
ever  ascended,  —  to  the  highest  peak,  or  in  other  words,  to  the  top  of 
the  United  States.  But  unfortunately,  like  other  aspirants,  when  we 
reached  our  goal  the  whole  scene  was  veiled  from  our  eyes,  and  we 
descended  to  the  Mountain  House  through  a  strong  rain.  But  we  had 
views  enough  to  compensate  for  all  the  fatigue.  We  are  traveling  amid 
enchanting  scenery,  and  are  to-day  stronger  than  when  we  started,  hav- 
ing rode  twenty-seven  miles  before  twelve  o'clock ;  and  we  may  add  to 
it  six  or  eight  for  the  evening,  spending  Sunday  at  Sulphur  Springs. 

"  We  hope  to  meet  Mr.  Guyot  next  week.  I  cannot  yet  speak  with 
certainty  of  any  place  to  which  you  could  direct  a  letter  to  me. 

' '  Your  affectionate  brother, 

"  Edward." 

"  Franklin,  N.  C,  August  9,  1860. 

"  Dear  Sisters,  —  ....  We  go  to  bed  at  eight  o'clock  when  travel- 
ing, and  rise  at  five.  When  pausing,  nine  o'clock  is  our  hour  for  re- 
tiring. We  are  both  gaining  health  and  vigor  for  our  labors.  On  Sun- 
day, at  Asheville,  I  preached  twice.  A  young  physician,  whose  father 
would  have  nothing  to  do  with  us  in  1856  because  of  our  birth-place, 
was  deeply  impressed.  He  followed  us  on  Monday  to  the  Sulphur 
Springs,  where  I  had  appointed  to  see  a  dying  man,  and  said  he  had 
been  completely  awakened  from  spiritual  torpor  by  the  services  of  the 
Sabbath. 

"  Our  reception  everywhere  is  the  kindest.  For  the  first  time,  last 
evening  I  had  a  sharp  discussion  with  a  gentleman  from  Georgia.  But 
we  parted,  this  morning,  excellent  friends.  I  never  saw  Hubbard  appear 
so  well  as  he  did  in  the  discussion  with  this  person.  His  argument  was 
purely  political,  and  it  was  perfect,  except  in  one  point  where  his  recol- 
lection of  a  fact  was  not  positive  enough  for  him  to  press  his  antagonist. 
He  was  calm,  clear,  courteous,  resistless. 

"  We  are  now  awaiting  Mr.  Guyot,  who  fixed  this  day  and  place  for 
meeting  us  if  we  should  not  be  able  to  meet  each  other  sooner.  Every- 
thing, accordingly,  remains  in  suspense  until  he  arrives. 

"  The  scenery  through  which  we  have  been  passing  is  truly  beautiful. 
The  grandeur  of  the  Alps  is  not  here,  but  the  beauty  of  the  Appalachian 
range  is  its  own.  There  has  been  a  manifest  progress  in  this  country 
within  late  years.     Railroads  and  mining   operations  are  producing  im- 


262  LIFE   OF  EDWARD  NORMS   KIRK. 

portant  changes.  Rich  veins  of  gold,  lead,  iron,  and  copper  run  across 
these  mountains ;  and  Northern  capital  is  beginning  to  stimulate  labor  in 
working  the  mines. 

"I  met  a  gentleman  last  evening  who  told  me  much  about  my  old 
college-mates.  The  emotions  it  produced  were  very  peculiar  :  to  hear 
of  Joseph  Lumpkin  as  a  judge  of  the  Superior  Court  of  Georgia,  and  a 
man  of  unequaled  popularity;  to  hear  of  Rembert  and  McCoi'inick  and 
Finley  as  men  of  prominence,  brings  back  my  boyish  days  and  feelings 
in  strange  contrast  with  my  present  circumstances  and  feelings 

"  The  Lord  preserve  and  bless  you.  Your  brother, 

"  Edward." 

"Franklin,  N.  C,  August  13,  1860. 

"My  dear  Sisters,  —  On  Saturday  evening,  to  our  great  relief, 
Mr.  Guyot  appeared.  I  preached  on  Sunday  morning  in  the  Presby- 
terian Church,  to  fifty  or  sixty  persons.  It  rained  so  violently  all  the 
afternoon  and  evening  that  we  did  not  go  out  of  the  house.  This  after- 
noon it  is  clearing  off,  and  to-night  we  are  to  hear  Mr.  Guyot  address  the 
people  on  the  structure  of  the  mountains.  It  would  have  been  tedious  to 
remain  in  this  little  town  if  from  Wednesday  to  Monday  we  had  not  had 
such  good  company.  Unfortunately,  1  have  sent  all  my  collars  to  Dal- 
ton;  I  therefore  appear  in  a  gray  beard,  gray  shirt,  and  no  collar,  —  or 
one  I  have  worn  since  Wednesday  last. 

"  It  surprises  me  to  learn  what  hardships  Mr.  Guyot  has  endured  in 
the  advancement  of  science.  He  was  three  days  without  food  in  the 
mountains  last  year.  He  has  slept  out  in  the  open  air  nine  successive 
nights,  on  one  occasion  sleeping  with  the  rain  pouring  upon  him.  He 
awoke  in  the  morning,  and  found  himself  surrounded  by  a  little  lake,  and 
his  feet  lying  in  it.     That  kind  of  camping  out  I  hope  to  be  spared. 

"  To-morrow  we  shall  probably  start  anew  on  our  mountain-tour  west- 
ward. We  are  all  in  good  health  and  spirits;  and  I  shall  be  glad  to  cross 
my  saddle  again,  if  my  horse  is  only  sound.  We  feared  we  must  sell 
him  at  a  sacrifice  on  account  of  his  lameness.  But  it  now  looks  as  if  he 
may  serve  us  for  the  rest  of  our  journey,  and  then  bring  a  price  which 
will  not  be  below  what  we  paid  for  him. 

"  So  far  from  meeting  any  unkind  treatment  thus  far,  I  am  now 
earnestly  invited  to  remain  and  preach  at  the  camp-meeting  commencing 
next  Thursday.  The  camp  consists  of  permanent  shanties,  owned  by  the 
families  of  the  town.  I  inclose  you  a  notice  of  us  in  the  Franklin  '  Ob- 
server.' "  Your  affectionate  brother, 

"  Edward." 

"Franklin,  N.  C,  August  16,  1860. 
"  My  dear  Sisters,  — I  am  still  here,  having  waited  from  Wednes- 
day until  Monday  for   Mr.   Guyot;    and  then  until  Tuesday,  for  clear 


ANTISLAVERY.  263 

weather.  On  Tuesday  we  ascended  the  mountains,  and  slept  in  camp 
that  night.  It  is  my  first  experience,  and  not  the  most  encouraging. 
We  tied  some  of  our  horses  to  trees,  but  Gardiner  left  his  loose.  In  half 
an  hour  he  ran  off,  and  left  us  there  minus  a  horse  for  the  rest  of  the 
trip.  We  had  an  Indian  with  us.  He  cut  down  trees,  made  a  fire,  and 
commenced  preparing  our  supper.  It  consisted  of  coffee  made  by  boiling 
water  (each  man's  portion  in  a  tin  cup)  and  throwing  the  coffee  into  the 
water,  and  a  little  sugar  into  that.  Pieces  of  pork  were  cut,  and  each 
one  put  his  own  on  a  sharp-pointed  stick,  and  held  it  in  the  smoke  and 
flames  until  it  became  thoroughly  roasted.  This  made  our  butter  and 
meat.  We  then  sat  around  the  fire,  chatting.  Mr.  Guyot  was  called  on 
for  a  lecture.  He  spoke  an  hour  on  his  admirable  discoveries  in  regard 
to  the  correspondence  between  the  classification  of  plants  and  the  revela- 
tions of  geology. 

"  You  may  faintly  imagine  the  scene,  perhaps.  The  forest  is  awfully 
dark.  I  never  before  conceived  it  so.  I  found  myself  afraid  to  stir  ten 
steps  beyond  the  faint  rays  of  the  fire.  We  were  on  a  slope  at  an  angle 
of  twenty  degrees.  You  try  to  find  a  level,  but  there  is  none:  the  globe 
seems  obstinately  determined  to  prevent  your  walking  firmly.  You  step, 
but  cannot  tell  how  far  you  must  calculate  to  go:  bears,  wolves,  or  rattle- 
snakes may  be  there  to  greet  you.  Of  this,  however,  I  believe  there  is 
in  fact  very  little  danger;  only  sufficient  to  give  the  imagination  an  op- 
portunity of  exercising  itself.  There  were  Mr.  Hubbard,  two  gentlemen 
who  accompanied  us,  myself,  and  the  Indian,  —  all  sitting  before  the 
camp-fire.  The  lecture  ended,  we  called  on  the  Indian  to  make  an  ad- 
dress in  Cherokee.  He  spoke  for  half  an  hour,  rather  stupidly  as  to  gest- 
ure and  tone,  which  was  all  I  understood.  His  countenance  expressed  as 
much  devoutness  as  I  ever  saw  in  a  human  face,  peculiarly  impressive  as 
seen  by  the  flickering  camp-fire.  I  then  repeated  hymns,  we  sung  and 
prayed,  and  retired  to  the  ground  for  sleep.  But  it  was  a  failure  for  me. 
The  smoke  blew  directly  into  our  eyes.  We  could  not  move  to  the  wind- 
ward side  of  the  fire,  as  our  heads  would  then  be  lower  than  our  feet. 
We  could  not  go  back,  because  our  feet  must  lie  all  night  toward  the  fire. 
We  could  not  build  the  fire  anywhere  else,  for  you  can  make  no  ar- 
rangements after  the  night  has  set  in.  I  passed  a  sleepless  night,  kept 
from  rolling  down  hill  by  a  log  at  my  side,  whose  neighborhood  became 
somewhat  disagreeable  before  morning.  But,  after  all,  I  would  repeat 
the  experiment  if  anything  were  to  be  accomplished  by  it.  I  gained  one 
thing  by  it,  —  a  sounder  sleep  in  my  bed  last  night  than  I  have  had  for  a 
long  time. 

"  Our  lost  horse  is  found.  We  shall  probably  start  to-day  for  Clayton, 
leaving  Mr.  Guyot.  I  find  that  his  labors  are  of  such  a  nature  as  to  make 
it  tedious  for  any  one  to  be  in  the  mountains  with  him.  He  was  yester- 
day, for  instance,  five  hours  running  from  point  to  point,  laboring  most 


264  LIFE   OF  EDWARD  NORMS   KIRK. 

earnestly;  but  we  in  the  mean  time  had  nothing  to  do.  His  society,  in- 
deed, in  the  evenings,  would  be  compensation  enough  for  a  lost  day;  but 
now  he  is  going  on  a  long,  rough  foot-tour,  where  we  had  better  not  fol- 
low him.  Your  affectionate  brother, 

"  Edward." 

We  insert  here  extracts  from  a  letter  of  Dr.  Kirk's  com  • 
panion,  Mr.  Hubbard  :  — 

"Tallulaji  Falls,  August  19,  1860. 

"Dear  Gertrude, —  .  .  .  .  "We  bade  adieu  to  Mr.  Guyot  with 
much  regret,  and  left  Franklin  at  half  past  two  o'clock,  Thursday,— I 
mounted  on  Dr.  Kirk's  horse,  which  has  almost  entirely  recovered  from 
his  lameness.  We  started  for  a  house  nine  and  a  half  miles  distant,  and 
rode  on  slowly  up  the  valley  of  the  Tennessee,  rich  and  beautiful,  with 
high  mountains  on  either  side.  My  respect  for  this  river  has  greatly 
increased  since  I  found  that  it  rises  in  Georgia,  flows  across  the  entire 
State  of  North  Carolina,  then  into  Tennessee  and  Alabama,  then  into 
Tennessee  again,  finally  uniting  its  waters  with  the  Ohio  in  Kentucky, 
not  far  from  the  Mississippi  River.  We  reached  our  house,  but  it  was 
already  full.  '  Mr.  N.,  two  miles  beyond,  took  in  strangers.'  Mr.  N. 
was  absent  and  they  could  not  keep  us.  '  Mr.  D.,  three  miles  beyond, 
would  keep  us.'  On  we  rode  until  we  reached  Mr.  D.'s,  as  the  shades  of 
night  were  fast  gathering  around  us.  The  husband  was  in  bed,  probably 
drunk,  as  we  afterwards  learned,  and  his  wife  would  not  take  us  in,  and 
even  declined  to  let  us  lodge  in  the  stable. 

"  Mr.  G.,  about  a  mile  and  a  half  beyond,  was  prepared  to  keep  people, 
they  told  us;  the  road  was  straight,  the  ford  good.  We  asked  if  the 
water  was  deep.  The  boy  thought  the  horses  would  not  have  to  swim :  '  they 
were  very  large.'  On  we  went,  with  some  misgivings,  over  a  very  rough 
road,  when,  as  we  came  to  the  ford,  we  overtook  two  men  just  returning 
from  a  hunting  expedition.  It  seemed  to  be  entirely  providential,  meet- 
ing these  men  at  this  time  and  place;  with  one  exception,  the  only  men 
we  had  seen  on  the  road  all  day.  They  directed  us  across  the  ford. 
The  water  was  not  deep,  but  it  was  only  with  difficulty  that  we  could 
find  the  opposite  landing.  Without  the  aid  of  these  men  we  might  have 
met  with  an  accident.  We  soon  arrived  at  Mr.  G.'s,  and  he  agreed  to 
receive  us.  A  fire  was  soon  blazing  on  his  hearth,  and  Dr.  Kirk  busy 
instructing  his  two  sons.  The  people  were  kind  and  neat.  As  a  proof 
of  it,  they  had  the  floors  of  all  their  rooms  sanded  so  that  they  should  not 
see  the  dirt.  We  passed  the  night,  slept  some,  but  were  partially  inter- 
rupted. During  the  evening,  we  had  passed  from  North  Carolina  into 
Georgia  but  saw  no  great  change  in  the  country  or  people;  the  roads 
were  rougher  than  any  of  the  other  main  roads  we  had  traveled. 

"  Started  Friday  morning  at  seven  o'clock  for  these  falls;  the  road 


ANTISLAVERY.  265 

was  quite  rough,  descending  the  Blue  Ridge.  It  is  a  peculiar  feature  of 
the  mountains  in  this  section,  that  the  descent  on  the  east  side  is  much 
more  abrupt  than  that  on  the  other,  and  so  we  found  all  the  hills  as  we 
rode  along.  No  more  mountains,  but  high  hills,  and  a  rough  rolling 
country.  Pressed  through  Clayton,  and  on  to  within  ten  miles  of  Clarkes- 
ville  and  then  turned  off  for  these  falls,  which  we  reached  at  ten  o'clock. 
Found  a  small  but  very  comfortable  house,  kept  by  a  Virginian,  once  a 
soldier  in  the  — th  Dragoons,  in  the  Seminole  War.  He  is  an  original 
character;  has  nine  children,  —  Rolla,  Tallulah,  Cherubusco,  Magnolia. 
Grandirlora,  Potomac,  Optimus,  Palestina,  Minima;  the  next  is  to  be 
named  Ultimus  or  Ultima,  according  to  the  gender. 

"  We  were  congratulating  ourselves  yesterday  that  we  were  to  have 
no  company,  when  two  young  men  appeared,  swearing  and  drinking. 
They  had  not  been  here  more  than  fifteen  minutes  before  Dr.  Kirk  was 
engaged  in  conversation  with  one  of  them  on  his  plans  and  hopes  for 
this  and  another  world;  and  before  he  left  this  morning,  he  promised  of 
his  own  accord  to  stop  drinking.  Friday  evening,  Dr.  Kirk  had  the 
young  ladies,  Tallulah  and  Magnolia,  yi  the  room,  instructing  them  in 
singing  and  reading.  They  have  quite  pleasant  manners  and  show  much 
refinement,  more  than  almost  any  other  ladies  we  have  seen ;  they  were 
deeply  interested  afterwards.  Dr.  Kirk  had  prayers  with  all  the  family. 
Saturday  evening  brought,  besides  the  two  young  men  before  mentioned, 
another  party  of  four  young  men,  with  one  wagon,  two  riding  and  two 
walking  by  turns.  They  were  fast  young  men  of  the  middle  class,  not 
very  pleasant  companions.  After  tea,  the  young  man  most  interested 
came  and  asked  Dr.  Kirk  if  he  would  not  give  them  a  short  sermon. 
The  doctor  said  he  should  lead  the  family  prayers,  and  would  be  pleased 
to  see  them  there.  They  then  went  to  their  room  and  played  cards  until 
prayer  time  ;  then  all  came  and  listened  while  Dr.  Kirk  read  the  parable 
of  the  Prodigal  Son,  making  running  comments.  It  was  beautifully  done, 
and  all  were  very  deeply  interested.  The  young  man  stopped  after  the 
rest  had  retired,  to  have  a  further  conversation  with  Dr.  Kirk,  and  again 
this  morning. 

"Yesterday,  our  landlord  sent  word  around,  that  a  strange  minister 
from  Boston  would  preach  in  the  school-house  about  four  miles  distant; 
and  this  morning  we  started,  Dr.  Kirk  and  our  landlord  on  horseback,  I 
on  foot,  and  the  rest  of  the  family  in  an  ox-cart.  The  day  was  very  hot. 
Dr.  Kirk  preached  his  sermon,  —  '  I  stand  at  the  door,'  etc.  It  did  not 
strike  me  as  forcibly  as  before,  but  I  was  very  much  heated.  The  audi- 
ence seemed  attentive,  and  were  profuse  in  their  compliments.  Among 
them  were  a  number  of  rich  Southerners  who  reside  near  here  in  sum- 
mer; and  three  or  four  carriages  —  very  appropriate  for  Broadway  but  as 
unfit  for  these  roads  as  the  landlord's  ox-cart  would  be  for  Broadway  — 
were  at  the  school-house,  with  the  black  servants  and  attendants.     One 


266  LIFE   OF  EDWARD  NORRIS   KIRK. 

of  the  gentlemen,  a  Mr.  Rembert,  invited  Dr.  Kirk  to  go  home  with  him 
to  dinner.  He  has  not  yet  returned,  though  it  is  now  nearly  six  o'clock. 
"We  never  have  had  a  journey  on  which  we  have  made  so  many 
friends.  I  had  some  misgivings  in  coming,  for  fear  we  might  not  be 
always  frieudlily  received;  but,  on  the  contrary,  we  have  only  to  express 
a  want  or  desire,  and  some  kind  hand  is  ready  to  aid  us.  Dr.  Kirk  is 
justly  much  gratified  at  his  success  in  interesting  the  people  by  his  ser- 
mons, and  finding  ready  access  to  the  hearts  of  all  whom  he  approaches, 
both  old  and  young.  He  is  almost  inclined  to  spend  six  months  in  trav- 
eling through  this  country,  preaching  from  place  to  place;  and  if  his 
strength  held  out,  I  have  no  doubt  blessings  of  God  would  follow  his 
labors,  and  that  as  abundant  harvests  would  be  gathered  as  in  days  gone 
by." 

We  resume  Dr.  Kirk's  own  correspondence :  — 

"  Mount  Jonah,  August  20,  1860. 

"Dear  Gertrude,  —  This  morning  we  left  our  pleasant  mountain 
home  to  search  for  gold.  The  landlord  here  is  talking  to  Gardiner,  and 
rather  damping  the  ardor  of  our  zeal  in  this  pursuit.  I  will  now  follow 
G.'s  narrative. 

"  I  had  refused  Mr.  Rembert 's  invitation  to  dine,  but  in  riding  home 
I  overtook  him.  He  then  repeated  the  invitation  so  earnestly  that  I 
could  not  refuse.  The  rain  overtook  us.  But  the  instant  my  eye  met 
the  scene  that  spread  before  us  from  the  piazza  of  his  house,  every  other 
sentiment  was  lost  in  admiration.  It  is  altogether  unique  and  you  must 
not  forget  it  if  you  ever  visit  this  country.  On  the  left  hand,  you  see 
the  mighty  chasms  which  could  contain  four  Niagaras.  Through  them 
the  Tallulah  and  Chattooga  rush,  to  meet  and  form  the  Tugaloo,  which 
flows  directly  below  Mr.  Rembert's  yard,  fifteen  hundred  feet  down. 
The  slopes  of  so  many  vast  mountains  coming  down  to  witness  this  meet- 
ing of  the  waters,  form  a  splendid  spectacle.  Then  you  see,  back  of 
them,  range  rising  above  range.  Directly  in  front,  the  eye  rests  for  a 
moment  on  a  kind  of  screen,  —  a  mere  mountain  slope  of  even  outline 
and  uniform  verdure.  This  is  an  agreeable  preparation  for  the  imposing 
scene  on  the  right.  It  is  one  of  what  are  called  here  '  the  ocean  views.' 
You  overlook  all  the  successive  table-lands  which  let  the  traveler  down 
from  the  mountains  to  the  lowlands.  The  illusion  is  almost  complete  : 
you  think  you  see  the  ocean  stretched  before  you,  while  it  is  in  fact  only 
the  lowlands  at  sixty  or  seventy  miles  distance.  The  Seneca  River  is 
seen,  separating  the  sister  States  of  South  Carolina  and  Georgia. 

"  After  a  very  kind  reception  of  my  host,  I  left  him  to  return  to  the 
hotel.  It  was  four  o'clock,  and  I  had  four  miles  to  ride  through  a  lonely 
forest,  where  houses  are  found  only  at  three  and  four  miles'  distance 
from  each  other.     In  about  an  hour  I  was  convinced  that  I  was  off  my 


ANTISLAVERY.  267 

track.  I  then  began  to  recall  all  I  bad  learned  about  the  road,  reason 
the  matter  as  well  as  possible,  and  then  started  anew.  Five  o'clock 
came,  and  I  was  wandering.  Three  times  I  reached  the  same  point,  — 
three  miles  from  home.  At  length  I  gave  the  reins  to  my  horse,  think- 
ing his  instinct  would  do  better  than  my  logic.  But  he  was  soon  leading 
me  to  I  know  not  where  nor  what.  I  then  tried  the  value  of  prayer. 
Still  I  wandered.  Six  o'clock  came;  evening  shades  were  drawing  a 
veil  over  my  path.  The  prospect  became  pretty  certain,  that  T  must 
camp  out  again,  without  even  the  aid  of  smoke.  My  mind  became  en- 
tirely bewildered  about  the  landmarks.  Committing  myself  to  God,  I 
then  turned  the  horse's  head  to  the  road  before  me,  and  said,  I  will  go 
until  I  meet  a  house.  I  knew  that  Gardiner  would  be  troubled,  but 
utterly  unable  to  aid  me.  Just  as  night  was  closing  her  curtain,  the 
answer  was  given  to  my  prayer.  Tbe  very  negro  wbo  had  helped  me 
mount  my  horse  at  Mr.  Rembert's  door,  suddenly  emerged,  like  an  ap- 
parition, from  a  thicket.  He  was  on  his  way  to  see  his  mother.  He 
turned  my  horse's  head,  and  put  me  in  the  right  way.  I  arrived  at  the 
hotel  at  half  past  seven,  greatly  to  the  joy  of  all.  I  think  I  can  preach 
about  '  being  lost '  as  never  before.  We  are  resting  in  a  pretty  little 
town  near  the  beautiful  mountain  whose  name  it  bears  ;  intending  to  go 
a  little  farther  this  evening,  that  we  may  reach  Dahlonega  to-morrow. 
There  I  hope  to  find  your  letter  to  me,  directed  to  Waynesville. 

"  Remember   me   to   each   of   your  children,   not   omitting   Minima. 
Why  did  not  we  think  of  Tallulah  for  a  name  ?     Blessings  on  you  all. 
"Yours  ever,  Edward  N.  Kirk." 

^The  recollections  of  the  Sunday  at  Tallulah  were  dwelt 
upon  some  ten  years  later,  in  recording  his  thoughts  upon 
antislavery  :  — 

"  At  Tallulah  Falls  I  was  invited  to  preach  to  some  poor  people  in  a 
school-house.  Dressed  in  a  gray  suit,  with  a  very  unseemly  gray  beard, 
I  went,  supposing  myself  as  well  attired  as  any  of  my  audience  would  be. 
How  I  was  disconcerted  to  find  at  the  door  of  the  log  edifice  a  handsome 
carriage,  and  other  indications  that  there  were  some  there  who  might  be 
shocked  to  find  a  preacher  in  such  a  guise  !  But  I  was  in  for  it.  The 
service  closed,  I  hoped  the  well-dressed  people  would  retire  and  subject 
me  to  no  close  inspection.  But  no  ;  their  courtesy  kept  them  in  their 
seats  until  mine  compelled  me  to  come  forward  and  salute  them.  The 
gentleman  of  the  party  stepped  forward  with  the  graceful  mien  of  a 
Southerner  :  — 

"  My  name  is  Rembert. 

"  A'.  Indeed,  sir  !  Are  you  a  brother  of  James  Rembert,  once  a  stu- 
dent at  Princeton  College  ? 


268  LIFE   OF  EDWARD  NORMS   KIRK. 

"  R.  I  am,  sir. 

"  K.  I  ani  happy  to  meet  you  and  hear  from  him.  He  was  a  noble 
fellow,  —  a  beloved  classmate  of  mine. 

"  R.  You  will  dine  with  me  ? 

"  K.  Oh  no,  sir,  you  will  excuse  me;  my  attire  unfits  me  for  the 
presence  of  ladies  at  the  dinner-table.  I  did  not  expect  to  meet  persons 
like  yourself  here. 

"  He  insisted,  but  I  persisted  ;  we  turned  our  horses'  heads  to  differ- 
ent paths.  *  I  had  not  ridden  a  mile,  when,  to  my  astonishment  our  paths 
and  our  horses  met  again. 

"  R.  I  have  you  now  ;  you  must  go  with  me. 

"  K.  Well,  sir,  you  take  all  the  responsibility  of  my  attire,  unworthy 
of  your  presence  and  that  of  the  ladies. 

"  i?.  It  is  the  Sabbath,  and  I  am  not  accustomed  to  make  politics  the 
topic  of  this  day  ;  but  we  are  living  in  times  of  great  responsibility  and 
great  peril.  You  must  allow  me  to  ask  for  whom  you  propose  to  vote 
next  November. 

"  K.  For  Abraham  Lincoln,  sir. 

"  R.  (Pallid  and  surprised,  he  drew  back.)     Do  you  mean  that,  sir  ? 

"  K.  I  mean  it,  sir. 

"  R.  Well,  it  is  fortunate  you  told  it  to  me  and  to  no  one  else  here. 
My  cousin,  Bob  Toombs,  has  set  this  county  on  fire.  I  am  a  Bell  and 
Everett  man  ;  I  am  for  union  and  peace.  But  for  you  to  make  this  dec- 
laration to  any  other  man,  would  probably  cost  you  your  life. 

"  K .  Is  that,  sir,  Southern  chivalry?  Have  we  come  to  this,  that  an 
American  citizen  in  New  England  must  come  to  Georgia  and  ask  whom 
he  may  vote  for  ?  I  have  told  it  from  Boston  to  Tallulah,  and  I  shall 
tell  it  all  the  way  back. 

' '  We  dined  together,  but  there  have  been  more  genial  and  festive 
occasions  than  that  was." 

We  now  return  to  the  correspondence  :  — 

"  Crow's,  near  Sweet  Springs,  Alleghany  Co.,  Va. 

"My  dear  Sister, —  ....  Our  reception  in  North  Carolina  and 
Tennessee  was  very  cordial.  But  the  most  impressive  of  all  the  scenes 
through  which  we  have  passed  was  our  entertainment  on  Sunday  the 
17th  inst.  Arriving  at  Jonesboro' on  Saturday  afternoon, -we  found  the 
town  so  disagreeable,  and  the  hotel  so  comfortless,  that  we  determined 
to  venture  on  the  hospitality  of  any  farmer  at  whose  door  nightfall  might 
find  us.  We  accordingly  drove  on  until  we  came  to  the  house  of  a  Col- 
onel Haynes,  a  distinguished  lawyer  living  in  the  wilderness.  I  alighted 
and  stated  to  him  our  circumstances,  asking  if  he  could  entertain  us  until 
Monday.     He  said  he  never  entertained  strangers  for  profit,  but  that  we 


ANTISLAVERY.  269 

should  not  spend  the  night  in  the  open  air;  yet  he  had  had  sickness  in 
his  family,  —  all  of  them  were  exhausted  with  watching  and  anxiety. 
They  treated  us  in  the  kindest  manner.  We  had  the  subject  of  slavery 
discussed  from  root  to  branch.  In  fact  I  have  discussed  it  with  every 
gentleman  whom  I  met  under  favorable  circumstances.  In  one  case  I 
was  attacked  in  a  car  by  a  man  who  ascertained  that  I  hailed  from  the 
Bay  State.  Our  conversation  was  heard  by  the  by-standers,  but  no  one 
molested  me,  or  interfered  in  the  conversation.  That  man  traveled 
many  miles  with  us,  and  was  very  civil.  My  observations  in  the  South 
do  not  diminish  my  fears  of  the  future,  but  show  me  more  clearly  than 
ever  that  it  is  the  action  of  demagogues  that  is  bringing  the  country  to 
the  verge  of  destruction.  If  honest  men  North  and  South  could  come 
together,  this  difficult  question  could  be  solved.  But  there  is  no  prospect 
of  honesty  or  wisdom  guiding  our  national  affairs  at  present. 

"  Our  future  course  is  not  decided  any  farther  than  to  reach  home 
next  week.  Your  affectionate  brother, 

"  Edward." 

Throughout  the  whole  journey,  Dr.  Kirk  was  both  a 
learner  and  a  teacher.  He  witnessed  the  horrors  of  the  slave 
system  and  came  North  more  decided  than  ever  as  to  his 
course.  Ex-president  Tyler,  with  whom  he  had  often  con- 
versed, asserted  that  the  slaves  were  happier  than  the  free- 
men of  the  North.  "  I  believe  you,"  was  the  ready  reply  ; 
"  but  horses  are  still  happier." 

In  less  than  three  months  the  ballots  of  the  citizens  had 
chosen  Mr.  Lincoln  to  the  chief  magistracy  of  the  nation. 
The  impending  storm  began  to  threaten  from  the  South. 
The  North  said,  "  It  will  blow  over."  Poor  prophecy ! 
Shipments  of  arms  were  made  by  traitors  in  the  government 
from  Northern  to  Southern  forts ;  vessels  of  the  navy  were 
ordered  away  from  the  Northern  harbors  until  only  two  fit 
for  active  service  were  left  in  the  waters  of  the  United 
States,  and  yet  the  North  said,  "  The  South  is  not  in  ear- 
nest." The  terrible  delusion  bound  the  North  as  with  a 
spell.  Garrison  and  Phillips  predicted  the  war,  and  were 
derided  as  fanatics  and  fools.  Dr.  Kirk  predicted  the  same 
event. 

Several  months  before  the  outbreak  of  the  Rebellion,  he 
met  upon  the  street  Mr.  Josiah  Hanson,  the  reputed  "  Uncle 


270  LIFE  OF  EDWARD   NORRIS   KIRK. 

Tom  "  of  Mrs.  Stowe's  great  novel.  Said  Dr.  Kirk,  "  I  wish 
you  to  come  to  my  study  as  soon  as  you  can.  I  wish  to  see 
you  on  particular  business.  Can  you  be  there  between  nine 
and  ten  o'clock  to-morrow  ? "  At  the  time  appointed,  the 
old  colored  hero  was  welcomed  into  the  familiar  study.  "  I 
wish  to  know,"  said  Dr.  Kirk,  "  whether  you  have  faith  in 
God  unwavering,  —  faith  that  God  will  answer  prayer  at 
once.  Do  you  believe  in  a  direct  answer  to  a  direct  suppli- 
cation ?  "  "Yes,  sir,"  was  the  answer.  "Unwavering?" 
"  Yes."  "  Now,  I  want  some  mind  which  can  take  hold  of 
God.  I  wish  to  unite  with  you  in  prayer  for  a  special  object. 
I  have  a  great  burden  upon  my  mind.  A  great  event  is  soon 
to  take  place,  and  I  am  troubled.  I  have  reached  one  point, 
and  if  that  is  settled  I  shall  be  satisfied.  We  are  going  to 
have  a  war."  "  Is  that  so,  really  so?  "  asked  the  old  negro. 
"  Yes,  and  there  is  one  thing  I  wish  to  pray  for.  I  wish 
God  to  turn  the  hearts  of  the  moneyed  men  in  favor  of  the 
North.  Can  you  pray  for  this?"  The  old  negro  kneeled 
by  his  side,  "  trying  to  ask  the  Lord  for  this  blessing."  Dr. 
Kirk  followed  him,  "  praying,"  says  Father  Hanson,  "  as 
though  he  was  talking  face  to  face  with  God."  It  was  not 
a  prayer  to  be  reported,  yet  the  remembrance  will. remain 
through  eternity.  "  Now,  O  God,  we  come  to  thee,  our 
only  hope,  our  last  hope."  The  tears  flowed  down  his  cheeks 
as  he  agonized  for  this  one  blessing,  until,  without  apparent 
connection  in  language,  the  supplications  were  abruptly 
ended  with  the  exclamation  — "  God  be  praised,  God  be 
praised  !  the  answer  is  come  !  "  Then,  having  risen  from 
his  knees,  he  paced  the  floor  with  that  perfect  assurance  of 
faith  which  is  as  real  in  the  promise  as  in  the  fulfillment. 

In  the  sunset  of  what  had  been  a  dark  day  of  human 
bondage,  when  the  clouds  of  war  were  all  driven  from  the 
sky,  Dr.  Kirk  thus  recounted  the  growth  of  his  convictions, 
and  the  reasons  actuating  his  course,  on  the  great  national 
question  of  slavery :  — 

'■'  In  reviewing  my  course  as  a  minister  of  the  gospel  and  a  pastor  of 
churches,  my  riper  judgment  and  diminished  sensibility  occasion  me  no 


ANTISLAVERY.  271 

re°ret  for  a  word  I  can  remember,  a  position  I  assumed,  or  any  influence 
I  exerted  on  this  momentous  subject.  So  far  as  I  can  now  analyze,  I 
passed  through  three  stages  of  conviction  and  feeling  on  the  subject. 

"  The  first  referred  almost  solely  to  the  pitiable  condition  of  the  un- 
happy colored  people,  mingled  with  little  or  no  censure  of  the  slave-holders, 
many  of  whom  were  among  my  dearest  personal  friends.  Mingling  con- 
tinually with  the  citizens  of  the  Southern  States,  I  saw  only  their  finer 
qualities.  Ignorant  of  the  terrible  details  of  slave-life,  I  was  not  led  to 
connect  the  effect  with  its  cause,  and  trace  the  horrors  of  the  slave  sys- 
tem to  the  selfishness  of  the  slave-holders. 

"  The  second  stage  brought  on  in  my  own  mind  the  painful  struggle. 
The  question  was  broad  and  complicated.  I  could  not  embrace  the  doc- 
trine of  '  sin  per  se  '  in  slave-holding.  I  knew  instances  of  slaves  being 
purchased  from  the  purest,  highest  motives, — for  the  very  purpose  of 
present  defense  and  ultimate  emancipation.  No  eye  could  tell  where 
the  line  should  be  drawn  between  sinful  and  benevolent  slave-holding  ; 
and  when  in  the  Evangelical  Alliance  in  London  an  unqualified  attack 
was  made  upon  our  country,  that  was  my  defense.  I  cited  the  case  of 
Professor  Howe  in  South  Carolina,  who  sold  his  own  library  to  purchase 
a  little  boy,  that  he  might  prevent  him  from  being  deprived  of  the  care 
of  his  mother.  In  this  stage  of  feeling,  I  indulged  the  hope  that  at 
least  all  in  the  Southern  States  who  felt  themselves  redeemed  by  the 
same  blood  which  redeemed  the  negro,  —  who  hoped  to  sit  down  in  the 
same  heavenly  seats  with  the  negro,  would  do  the  two  things  which  were 
in  their  power.  When  sorely  pressed  on  the  subject,  the  stereotyped 
Southern  answer  was  :  '  We  can  do  nothing.  Slavery  is  a  creature  of 
the  law.  Emancipation  consigns  the  negro  to  a  doom  worse  than  slavery. 
Why  disturb  us?  You  can  only  agitate  us,  while  doing  the  enslaved  no 
good.'  The  two  things  they  could  do,  I  for  a  long  time  hoped  they 
would.  They  could  pray  for  the  removal  of  slavery  :  undoubtedly  many 
did.  Slavery  was  a  creature  of  the  law  ;  but  law  was  a  creature  of  the 
slave-holder ;  man  made  it  and  man  could  unmake  it.  Had  every  Chris- 
tian man  in  the  South  prayerfully  set  himself  to  change  the  slave  laws  by 
changing  public  sentiment  on  the  question,  I  must  believe  emancipation 
would  have  taken  place  without  laying  waste  half  a  continent. 

"  The  third  stage  was  reached  when  Rev.  Dr.  Palmer,  of  New  Orleans, 
the  preacher  of  most  extensive  influence  in  the  Southern  States,  delivered 
his  famous  sermon.  He  proclaimed  to  the  Southern  people,  as  an  am- 
bassador of  Christ,  that  the  peculiar  and  glorious  mission  of  the  South 
was,  to  build  up  a  church  and  a  state  whose  corner-stone  was  the  slavery 
of  the  African  race.  From  the  hour  I  read  it,  the  season  of  compro- 
mise, of  hope,  of  delay,  had  passed.  The  Peace  Congress  at  Washington 
seemed  to  me  a  solemn  farce.  Tyler  laughed  in  his  sleeve,  as  the  Charles- 
ton Convention  did  at  Mr.  Butler's  overtures.  The  mind  of  the  South 
was  made  up.     It  was  time  that  ours  was." 


272  LIFE   OF  EDWARD  NORMS   KIRK. 

An  enforced  journey  on  account  of  ill  health  found  him  in 
Washington  in  the  early  spring,  just  after  the  inauguration 
of  President  Lincoln.  The  following  prophetic  letter  was 
sent  to  his  friend  Mr.  E.  S.  Tobey  :  — 

"Washington,  March  21,  1861. 

"  My  dear  Friend,  —  I  am  now  on  the  fifth  week  of  banishment  from 
my  pulpit;  and  must  pass  at  least  one  more  silent  Sabbath.  I  spent  the 
first  week  in  New  York,  and  until  yesterday  with  Professor  Guyot  in 
Princeton.  Last  evening  I  reached  this  city.  It  is  very  cheerless  here, 
by  reason  of  a  raw  atmosphere,  high  wind,  and  a  permanent  cloud  of 
dust. 

"  This  morning  I  attended  the  senate  and  heard  a  speech  from  a  Dela- 
ware member.  He  proved  to  his  own  satisfaction  that  the  party  in  power 
was  logically  necessitated  to  carry  out  its  opposition  to  slavery  to  the 
extent  of  destroying  the  institution.  The  president  keeps  his  own  se- 
crets so  well  that  outsiders  cannot  talk  very  wisely  in  advance.  You 
know  at  Boston  as  much  as  the  loungers  here,  about  public  affairs. 

"  The  more  I  hear,  the  more  I  am  led  to  believe  that  God  is  now  per- 
mitting the  friends  of  slavery  to  bring  it  into  a  position  where  it  must 
perish.  If  the  seceding  States  ever  come  back,  it  must  be  with  fewer 
guarantees  than  they  have  heretofore  had.  If  they  remain  apart,  they 
must  at  least  go  through  a  terrible  and  perilous  crisis  before  there  will 
be  enough  of  the  practical  out  of  the  North  enticed  among  them,  to  give 
them  an  independent  national  life. 

"  And  yet,  how  little  they  or  we  know  the  purposes  of  divine  wisdom 
and  goodness.  It  is  well  that  our  chief  duty  is  to  pray  for  all  men, 
slaves,  slave-holders,  and  the  friends  of  human  freedom. 

' '  Yours  ever, 

"  Edw.  N.  Kirk." 

In  the  succeeding  month  of  April,  Mr.  Tobey,  then 
running  a  line  of  steam-packets  to  Charleston,  invited  his 
pastor  to  accompany  him  thither  in  one  of  his  vessels  (the 
afterwards  famous  South  Carolina).  The  party  was  com- 
posed of  several  ladies  and  gentlemen.  The  agitation  had 
begun.  Owners  of  merchandise  were  afraid  to  send  their 
goods  to  a  Southern  port.  The  ship  was  consequently  but 
half  freighted.  Being  constructed  of  iron  she  rolled  very 
uncomfortably ;  and  so  dangerously,  that  it  seemed  actually 
impossible  to  pass  Cape  Hatteras,  and  they  were  obliged  to 
put  in  at  Norfolk.     As  they  passed  through  Hampton  Roads, 


ANTISLAVEEY.  273 

the  United  States  steamer  Pawnee  was  about  to  leave  for 
Charleston,  with  supplies  for  Fort  Sumter.  At  Norfolk 
they  passed  a  few  days  in  a  hotel,  receiving  very  kind  at- 
tentions from  the  citizens,  and  even  a  complimentary  notice 
from  the  city  newspapers.  By  Saturday  morning,  however, 
Mr.  Tobey  had  become  alarmed  for  the  safety  of  his  ship 
and  even  of  his  friends.  Countenances  began  to  change. 
There  were  groups  at  corners  and  various  other  indications 
of  a  coming  storm.  Mr.  Tobey  announced  to  the  company 
that  his  ship  must  return  to  Boston  forthwith,  and  that  they 
must  hasten  to  Washington.  They  had  but  just  taken  their 
seats  in  the  omnibus,  when  the  telegraph  announced,  — 
"  Fire  opened  upon  Sumter  this  morning." 

The  cloud  so  long  in  its  >gathering  seemed  to  burst  over 
their  heads  and  the  ground  to  be  shaken  under  their  feet. 
The  war  was  opened.  On  board  the  cars  were  large  num- 
bers of  men  highly  excited,  who  seemed  to  have  some  com- 
mon and  momentous  errand.  In  answer  to  the  inquiry  as 
to  what  it  all  signified  they  said :  "  We  are  summoned  to 
Richmond  by  Henry  Wise,  to  surround  the  convention." 
One  speaker  went  so  far  as  to  add,  "  to  give  them  backbone." 
The  company  passed  the  evening  at  the  Spottswood  Hotel, 
Richmond,  conversing  with  men  of  all  classes. 

One  of  these  conversations  was  with  Mr.  Tyler,  junior 
editor  of  the  Richmond  "  Enquirer,"  and  afterwards  on  Gen- 
eral Lee's  staff.  , 

' '  Kirk.  Why  do  you  wish  to  fight  in  opposition  to  the  North  ?  We 
are  opposed  to  slavery,  but  the  majority  of  the  North  is  equally  opposed 
to  the  views  of  Messrs.  Phillips  and  Garrison.  We  believe  we  have  no 
right  to  use  either  military  or  political  weapons  against  slavery.  Do  you 
mean  to  interfere  with  our  right  to  think  ? 

"  Tyler.  No;  you  have  a  right  to  think. 

"  K.  Independently? 

"  T.   Certainly. 

"  K.  What,  then,  if  we  think  that  slavery  is  a  wrong  in  you  and  a 
curse  to  us  all? 

"  T.  I  expect  Northern  men  to  think  so. 

"  K.  What  then  do  you  propose  to  do  by  fighting?  You  cannot  pre- 
18 


274  LIFE   OF  EDWARD   NORMS   KIRK. 

vent  our  judging  slavery  to  be  wrong.  We  intend  to  fight  it  with  all  the 
power  of  pen  and  speech.  But  we  would  defend  you  by  arms,  if  any  one 
should  attempt  to  crush  slavery  by  force. 

"  T.  There  is  no  profit  in  talking.  I  believe  in  the  right  of  every 
State  to  be  independent;  and  we  shall  fight  ourselves  loose  from  you. 

"  K.  You  are  going,  then,  to  desolate  our  beloved  country  on  the 
ground  that  you  own  the  country  south  of  Mason's  and  Dixon's  line? 
And  we  have  no  rights  either  in  this  vast  territory  for  which  our  moneys 
were  paid  as  well  as  yours,  for  which  our  fathers  fought  as  well  as  yours? 
You  acknowledge  no  rights  of  ours  in  the  glorious  history  of  our  country, 
and  in  its  institutions,  Avhich  are  the  admiration  of  the  world  ? 

"  T.  We  intend  to  leave  the  Union,  sir. 

"  K.  Then  we  shall  have  war  to  the  knife. 

"  There  are  two  other  points  which  I  would  have  presented,  if  I  had 
seen  them  as  now.  The  one  is  that  so  ably  presented  by  Mr.  Webster, 
—  that  after  the  failure  of  the  Confederation,  our  fathers  made  not  a 
contract,  between  independent  States  retaining  their  absolute  independ- 
ency, but  a  constitution,  between  the  citizens  of  our  new  nation.  The 
second  point  was  the  entire  preposterousness  of  their  repeating  the  ex- 
periment of  making  a  confederacy  of  States  retaining  their  unqualified 
independence  of  each  other,  and  yet  competent  to  make  treaties  and 
laws,  from  which  any  member  might  retire  at  its  pleasure.  This  they 
saw  as  soon  as  Georgia  expressed  the  desire  to  leave  the  Confederacy. 
She  found  herself  anything  but  an  '  independent  State.'  " 

On  Monday  morning  Dr.  Kirk  among  others  went  into 
the  convention,  remaining  outside  of  the  railing  inclosing 
the  members,  for  more  than  an  hour,  when  Mr.  Nelson,  a 
member  from  the  Shenandoah  Valley,  came  out  and  invited 
him  to  take  a  vacant  seat  by  his  side.  It  was  a  strange  place 
for  a  confirmed  abolitionist  to  occupy.  But  in  passing  him, 
Ex-President  John  Tyler  gave  a  friendly  salutation.  Henry 
Wise  occupied  a  seat  on  the  second  row  of  benches  before 
him.  It  was  evident  that  the  reins  were  in  the  hands  of 
Wise  and  other  fire-eaters,  and  the  whole  business  of  the* 
occasion  was  to  browbeat  the  reluctant,  and  dragoon  them 
into  line. 

"  Wise  I  had  never  seen  before;  he  was  a  spare  man,  of  medium  size, 
eminently  theatrical  in  attitude,  utterance,  and  gesture.  I  perceived  not 
a  spark  of  genuine  eloquence.  Pathos,  strength,  logic,  were  wanting ; 
only  passion,  will,  and  vehemence  were  there.  Sitting  by  a  Union  man, 
I  compared  notes  with  him    continually,  and  at  length  felt  so  much  at 


ANTISLAVERY.  275 

home  that,  under  a  sudden  impulse,  I  almost  rose  to  give  them  a  piece  of 
my  mind.     It  would  probably  have  been  my  last,  if  I  had. 

"My  last  interview,  terminating  at  two  o'clock  on  Tuesday  morning, 
was  with  Nelson  in  his  chamber.  He  was  a  God-fearing  man  ;  but  hav- 
ing also  a  sprinkling  of  the  fear  of  man,  I  think  he  yielded  to  the  current. 
My  last  words  to  him  were  :  '  Nelson,  I  may  be  called  to  the  battle-field. 
If  I  meet  you  there  attempting  to  crush  my  country  and  the  cause  of 
freedom,  I  will  pray  for  you,  and  then  shoot  you  down  if  I  can.'  " 

"Richmond,  Va.,  April  15,  1861. 

"To  Friends  at  Home,  —  On  leaving  Boston  to  travel  as  an 
invalid  in  the  Palmetto  State,  I  cherished  the  wish  to  commune  with  you 
about  the  scenes  around  me,  so  far  as  might  comport  with  prudence, 
honor,  and  the  good  faith  of  a  guest.  But  in  the  storm  off  Cape  Hatteras 
I  saw  the  hand  that  has  often  led  me  by  resisting  me,  turning  my  steps 
away  from  the  scenes  of  strife.  In  our  so  unexpectedly  arriving  at  Nor- 
folk, the  sensational  writers  found  a  fruitful  source  of  excitement. 
They  had  it  that  we  were  met  by  a  ship  returning  from  Charleston;  were 
alarmed  by  the  intelligence  we  received  ;  and  in  our  flight,  took  refuge 
in  a  more  northern  port ;  all  of  which  was  a  sheer  fabrication  of  some 
vivid  fancy. 

"  Our  reception  at  Norfolk  was  very  gratifying  to  us,  and  honorable 
to  those  who,  while  allowing  us  to  exercise  the  right  of  private  judgment 
on  institutions  and  policy,  extended  to  us  the  courtesies  of  a  genuine 
hospitality.  One  of  the  citizens  has  recently  been  deservingly  honored 
by  election  to  membership  in  the  Massachusetts  Historical  Society.  I 
allude  to  Hugh  Blain  Grigsley,  Esq.  And  it  may  interest  some  of  you 
to  mention  that  he  has  put  forth  with  arguments,  thus  far  unanswered, 
the  proposition,  that  the  settlement  of  Virginia  by  Cavaliers,  is,  to  some 
extent,  a  fiction ;  the  discovery  and  occupation  of  the  country  having 
indeed  been  by  Cavaliers  and  Churchmen;  but  the  actual  progenitors  of 
the  existing  people  being,  to  a  much  greater  extent,  Cromwellians  and 
Covenanters. 

' '  We  arrived  in  Richmond  on  Saturday  evening,  expecting  to  find  the 
town  in  a  blaze  of  excitement,  or  the  convention  in  session,  the  intelli- 
gence of  the  attack  on  Fort  Sumter  having  just  been  received.  But  no 
such  demonstrations  are  witnessed.  I  am  informed  that  the  secession 
flag  raised  on  the  state  house  was  lowered  by  order  of  the  government. 
At  the  opening  of  the  convention  on  Saturday  morning  a  member  arose 
and  inquired  if  the  chairman  could  give  any  confirmation  to  the  rumor 
of  the  opening  war.  He  replied  in  the  negative.  But  shortly  afterwards 
he  announced  to  the  house  that  the  governor  had  sent  him  a  dispatch, 
communicated  by  Governor  Pickens,  confirming  the  intelligence.  Ji, 
said  my  informant,  he  had  announced  that  cotton  had  risen  one  cent  a 


276  LIFE   OF  EDWARD  NORMS   KIRK. 

pound,  the  sensation  would  probably  have  been  no  less  than  at  this  an- 
nouncement. In  the  evening  a  crowd  came  to  the  Spottswood  House, 
and  called  for  a  gentleman  of  the  secession  party.  His  speech  was  so 
lacking  in  genuine  enthusiasm,  that  if  I  were  sure  of  his  being  a  man  of 
intelligence  and  influence,  I  would  pronounce  secession  a  failure.  But 
probably  another  state  of  things  will  be  witnessed  here  on  Tuesday, 
when  a  thousand  secessionists  are  coming  to  make  a  wall  of  fire  around 
this  cold  convention ;  whether  to  turn  their  flames  inward  or  outward, 
is  not  said  ;  probably  the  former. 

"  Deep  anxiety  rests  upon  the  hearts  of  the  best  men  here.  The  posi- 
tion  of  Virginia  is  really  painful  in  a  peculiar  degree.  I  have  no  time  to 
fill  my  sheet. 

"  Kind  remembrance  to  all  our  dear  friends. 

' '  Your  brother,  Edward.  ' ' 

The  company  left  Richmond  that  morning,  and  on  reach- 
ing Washington  found  the  city  in  a  blaze  of  excitement,  ex- 
pecting an  attack  at  any  moment.  Mr.  Tobey  called  upon 
the  Hon.  Cassius  M.  Clay,  who  under  great  excitement 
warned  him  to  take  his  party  forthwith  from  the  city.  Said 
Mr.  Clay,  "  Rush  into  the  streets  of  the  North,  and  tell  the 
people  to  come  down  and  defend  this  capitol." 

Accepting  this  admonition,  they  proceeded  to  the  Wash- 
ington station  of  the  Baltimore  railway,  where  they  were 
rejoiced  to  meet  the  Massachusetts  company  of  soldiers 
under  the  command  of  Colonel  Parker  of  Worcester,  who 
announced  their  errand  "  to  defend  Washington  and  to  make 
their  head-quarters  that  night  in  the  capitol  itself." 

Proceeding  thence  to  Baltimore,  they  found  just  as  marked 
an  excitement,  —  a  mob  of  ten  thousand  people  gathered  in 
Monument  Square,  calling  for  Charles  Sumner,  who  was 
then  in  the  city  concealed  from  them.  At  the  hotel,  a 
Massachusetts  merchant,  a  democrat,  who  from  a  sojourn  of 
thirty  days  had  learned  the  drift  of  public  opinion,  urged  the 
travelers  to  leave  Baltimore  by  the  earliest  morning  train. 
They  took,  instead,  the  second  train,  meeting,  just  without 
the  city  limits,  the  Massachusetts  troops,  among  whom  were 
those  destined  to  be  the  first  martyrs  in  the  great  national 
struggle,  —  to  fall  by  the  hands  of  the  mob  in  the  streets  of 


ANTISLAVEEY.  277 

Baltimore.  It  was  the  last  train  north  for  gome  days,  as  the 
tracks  between  Baltimore  and  Philadelphia  were  torn  up 
that  morning,  soon  after  its  passage. 

The  streets  of  the  Quaker  City  were  literally  illuminated 
with  flags,  and  were  filled  with  eager  and  excited  throngs, 
who  were  welcoming  until  midnight  the  troops  from  the  old 
"  Bay  State,"  under  the  command  of  General  Butler. 

"I  had  three  sources  of  fear;  —  the  democratic  party  of  the  North; 
the  capitalists  of  Philadelphia  and  New  York;  the  Roman  Catholic 
clergy  and  people.  Each  of  these  fears  was  relieved  on  reaching  Phila- 
delphia. The  stars  and  stripes  were  waving  from  the  Catholic  Cathe- 
dral ;  the  merchants  and  bankers  of  the  North  were  liberally  subscribing 
to  aid  the  government ;  while  Hallet  and  Butler,  with  other  leading 
members  of  the  democratic  party,  had  jironounced  for  the  Union." 

Upon  leaving  Philadelphia  the  company  separated,  Dr. 
Kirk  taking  a  further  tour  westward,  the  others  returning 
home. 

The  following  letter  hints  at  his  convictions  as  to  the  great 

national  crisis :  — 

"  New  York,  April  21,  1861. 

"  E.  S.  Tobey,  —  ....  Through  what  an  interesting  period  of  our 
lives  we  have  just  passed  in  intimate  intercourse!  I  shall  always  be 
thankful  for  it.  Men  can  know  each  other  well  and  love  each  other 
strongly  only  by  intimate  comparison  of  views.  There  would  be  oppor- 
tunities, unsought  and  natural,  for  unlocking  the  inner  chambers  of  each 
others'  souls,  and  saying  to  each  other,  '  there,  that  is  what  I  am,'  to 
make  friendships  that  are  to  bear  the  strain  and  stress  of  time  and 
change. 

' '  I  consider  this  nation  to  have  grown  more  in  all  the  elements  of  true 
greatness  within  the  period  since  our  embarkation  at  Boston  than  in  all 
the  years  since  the  Revolution.  And  we  have  been  permitted  to  live 
and  witness  that  growth  !     I  thank  our  God  for  it. 

"How  Virginia  has  sunk  from  her  former  greatness  !  She  is  now  a 
divided  people,  controlled  by  a  low  spirit  of  covetousness,  and  destined 
to  be  the  battle-field  of  this  terrible  war.  Do  you  know  that  in  Rich- 
mond there  are  annually  sold  slaves  to  the  amount  of  $8, 000, 000?  No 
wonder  they  cry,  '  Great  is  Diana.'  But  the  meanness  of  her  course  in 
screening  treason  until  it  became  a  power,  and  then  joining  it,  cannot 
admit  of  her  recovering  her  former  moral  station. 

"  Will  you  see  Governor  Andrew,  and  tell  him  I  hear  his  praises  on 
all  sides  for  his   prompt  and  manly  action  and  utterance.     Gentlemen 


278  LIFE   OF  EDWARD   NORMS   KIRK. 

here  are  saying,  '  We  shall  look  to  the  state  governors  if  Lincoln  fails  in 
firmness  and  promptitude.'  Yours  most  affectionately, 

"  Edward  N.  Kirk." 

"  Chicago,  May  13,  1861. 

"My  dear  Sisters,  —  It  was  a  sudden  move  to  come  out  here,  but 
it  was  probably  as  good  as  anything  else.  It  has  kept  up  the  diversion 
of  mind  and  release  from  study.  Yet  the  weather  is  not  at  all  agreeable. 
Cold,  damp  winds  are  constantly  blowing.  Our  journey  here  was  pleas- 
ant, however.  I  have  met  several  old  friends.  At  Cleveland  I  strolled 
into  a  prayer-meeting,  on  Friday  evening,  and  came  directly  upon  Mr. 
Hardy.  They  prayed  in  earnest  then  for  the  government.  I  went  home 
with  Mrs.  Brayton,  and  saw  my  first  portrait,  which  her  husband  had 
painted.  It  is  a  fierce-looking  young  man.  Mrs.  B.  says,  my  remark 
on  seeing  it  first,  was  —  will  it  preach  ?  I  cannot  say  how  many  have 
recognized  me  on  this  tour.  Mr.  Mather,  formerly  of  Albany,  has  in- 
vited me  to  sojourn  with  him.  But  I  am  staying  with  William  Hubbard. 
Mr.  Banks  has  just  returned  to  town.  He  promised  a  friend  to  call  on 
me,  but  I  have  not  yet  seen  him.  I  walked  two  miles  last  evening  to 
hear  Mr.  Beaubien,  but  heard  young  Monod.  I  have  not  yet  seen 
Beaubien. 

"  Chicago  has  grown  to  great  dimensions,  but  is  now  suffering 
greatly  from  its  banks  having  been  founded  on  southern  securities,  which 
just  now  are  among  the  most  insecure  of  human  institutions. 

"  The  zeal  of  the  Northwest  in  our  country's  cause  has  not  been 
overestimated. 

"  I  traveled  in  the  car  with  the  treasurer  of  this  State.  He  says  that 
Abraham  Lincoln  came  to  him  when  he  was  twenty-one  years  old,  to  be 
employed  by  him  in  plowing  prairie  land.  Lincoln  lived  with  him 
eight  or  ten  years.  He  was  industrious,  honest,  highly  moral,  studious, 
firm.  All  he  lacks  is  experience  and  a  thorough  business  talent.  Both 
of  these  can  be  supplied  by  time  and  by  competent  counselors  and  aids. 
I  feel  confident  that  the  government  is  planning  wisely  and  firmly; 
or  rather,  God  is  working  for  a  righteous  cause. 

"  My  own  present  fears  are  on  two  points:  some  departure  of  our  peo- 
ple from  their  present  high  vantage  ground  of  patriotism,  submission  to 
law,  determination  to  uphold  government,  and  a  patch-work  peace  with 
rebels. 

"  God  save  us  from  both.  Our  country  never  occupied  a  sublimer 
position  than  at  this  time. 

"  I  now  hope  to  be  home  by  the  20th  or  21st  inst. 

"  Your  affectionate  brother,  Edward." 

Homeward  through  New  York,  whose  streets  were  tramped 


ANTISLAVERY.  279 

by  tens  of  thousands  to  the  stirring  music  of  fifes  and  drums  ! 
Homeward  to  assist  in  a  work  compared  with  which  our 
country  lias  never  seen  a  greater.  Not  all  in  Boston,  how- 
ever, were  of  one  mind.  More  than  the  death  of  Ellsworth 
was  needed ;  yet  the  Commonwealth  and  the  city  of  Gov- 
ernor Andrew  were  in  the  extreme  front  of  the  fray. 

After  an  absence  of  several  weeks  in  the  midst  of  such 
stirring  scenes,  Dr.  Kirk  returned  with  health  improved  from 
his  enforced  vacation. 

"  Sunday,  May  26//«. —  Permitted  to  enter  my  pulpit  again.  Much  of 
the  social  gratification  was  spoiled  by  the  aversion  of  my  people  to  hear 
me  preach  on  the  war.  I  was  conscientious  in  it;  but  it  has  led  to  so 
many  severe  remarks  that  a  few  more  repetitions  of  tbem  would  convince 
me  my  work  was  done  here." 

It  was  only  a  momentary  depression.  He  had  passed 
through  so  many  trials  as  ought  to  have  convinced  him  that 
for  every  unfriendly  criticism  spoken  a  hundred  commenda- 
tions were  in  store.  Their  evidence  soon  told,  and  he  worked 
right  on,  until  the  Mount  Vernon  pulpit  voiced  the  willing, 
beating  heart  of  the  congregation  in  the  great  struggle  for 
liberty. 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

THE   CIVIL   WAR. 
1861-1865. 

The  war  for  the  Union,  and  against  slavery,  practically 
restored  to  the  clergy  a  power  of  which  they  had  long  been 
deprived.  The  greatest  abettors  of  the  revolt  against  the 
tyranny  of  England  at  the  period  of  our  Revolution  were 
the  ministers  of  Christ.  Bancroft  says,  "  the  great  questions 
crept  into  every  loyal  pulpit  as  a  part  of  religion  itself." 
The  fire  of  Christian  patriotism  glowed  even  at  an  earlier 
date  ;  the  first  public  exponent  of  the  principles  of  the  war 
for  independence  was  John  Wise,  the  minister  of  the  Che- 
bacco  parish  (now  Essex)  in  the  old  Bay  State  ;  who  in 
1687,  for  his  daring  assertion  that  taxation  without  represen- 
tation is  tyranny,  was  imprisoned  twenty-one  days  by  the 
government,  and  fined  fifty  pounds  sterling. 

When  the  great  struggle  with  the  mother  country  began, 
side  by  side  with  their  parishioners  these  men  stood  as  pri- 
vates, flint-lock  in  hand.  They  preached  their  men  into  the 
army,  and  then  went  themselves.  They  officiated  as  chap- 
lains. They  prompted  the  action  of  the  town-meeting. 
Back  of  Otis  and  the  Adamses  were  Dr.  Mayhew,  Dr. 
Chauncey,  and  Dr.  Cooper,  of  Boston  town.  In  that  hercu- 
lean struggle,  hill  answered  to  hill  the  words  uttered  in  the 
valleys  by  such  ministers  as  Dwight,  Bellamy,  Hopkins, 
Strong,  Langdon,  Goodrich,  Trumbull,  and  others  of  the 
same  profession.  It  was  a  fitting  signal  that  the  beacon- 
light  of  the  Revolution  should  first  be  struck  in  the  belfry  of 
a  church.     Believing,  with  the  old  prophets,  that  only  right- 


THE   CIVIL  WAR.  281 

eousness  can  be  a  permanent  basis  for  a  true  government, 
the  earlier  New  England  clergy  recognized  their  functions 
in  dealing  with  evil  wherever  found. 

After  independence  had  been  won,  the  one  weak  beam  in 
the  framing  of  the  national  Constitution  was  slavery.  And 
the  more  widely  this  evil  extended,  the  more  subtle  grew  its 
power  in  shaping  public  opinion.  But  slavery  was  recog- 
nized in  the  Constitution  ;  hence,  to  attack  it,  especially  by 
force  of  arms  as  did  John  Brown,  was  called  treason.  Every 
political  movement  came  at  length  to  be  connected  with  the 
system  ;  when,  therefore,  ministers  of  Christ  were  advised 
not  to  preach  politics,  the  injunction  meant,  by  a  fair  inter- 
pretation, that  they  should  not  touch  the  question  of  slavery. 
The  terrible  system  had  shorn  the  ministry  of  its  power. 
Politicians  claimed  the  exclusive  right  of  dealing  with  this 
question  of  national  import ;  and,  with  few  exceptions,  the 
pulpits  of  the  North  were  silent.  But  when  the  Slave 
Power  struck  and  dismantled  Fort  Sumter,  tearing  down  the 
nation's  banner,  the  "gag"  was  removed  from  pulpit  and 
from  press  alike. 

During  the  great  conflict  of  the  civil  war,  and  long  before 
it,  Dr.  Kirk  was  the  compeer  of  Dr.  Jonathan  Mayhew  of 
earlier  fame.  With  prophetic  knowledge,  weeks  before  Sum- 
ter became  historic,  he  declared  that  the  end  of  slavery  had 
come. 

The  record  of  every  battle  and  skirmish  of  the  war  was 
kept  in  his  study.  Every  movement  of  the  several  armies 
was  carefully  traced  upon  the  war-map.  He  could  almost 
predict  the  next  order  for  the  navy.  But  while  he  observed 
and  studied  war  as  an  art,  he  forgot  not  those  who  were  en- 
during the  terrible  burdens :  every  hero  on  the  battle-field 
he  called  his  friend. 

"  Our  first  work  is  with  the  army.  It  presents  a  missionary  field  such 
as  the  world  never  before  saw.  It  is  composed,  we  are  told,  of  the  mem- 
bers of  our  churches,  to  the  extent  of  one  seventh  of  its  whole  number. 
These  brethren,  by  going  to  fight  our  battles,  have  not  excommunicated 
themselves,  nor  withdrawn  from  our  fellowship,  nor  from  our  watch  and 


282  LIFE   OF   EDWARD   NORMS   KIRK. 

care.  Nay,  they  are  nearer  our  hearts  than  ever,  and  have  stronger  claims 
than  ever  on  the  sympathy  and  fraternal  vigilance  of  the  church  at  home. 

"Write  about  home,  — the  farm,  the  dairy,  the  shop,  business,  the 
baby;  keep  home-scenes  fresh;  stir  up  the  domestic  affections.  Let  out 
mother's  heart,  father's  love;  let  sister's  tear  stain  the  paper  if  it  will. 
Keep  the  soldier's  heart  alive  all  through.  Touch  the  paternal  chords, 
till  they  vibrate;  wake  up  all  the  husband's  tenderest  love,  the  brother's 
heart,  the  kind  regard  to  neighbors,  the  esteem  for  the  pastor  and  the 
Sunday-school.  Keep  the  camps  and  the  iron-clad  steamer  moored  to 
home,  sweet  home,  so  far  as  the  perception  of  the  heart  is  concerned. 

"  Write  about  Christ.  If  the  soldier  does  not  know  Him,  go  into  your 
closet  with  the  Book  that  has  Christ's  likeness  in  it.  Gaze  on  it  until 
your  own  heart  is  all  aglow  with  admiration  ;  read  the  story  of  the  man- 
ger, the  garden,  and  the  cross,  until  you  cannot  be  reconciled  to  having 
one  you  love  refuse  to  love  Him.  Then  put  the  burning  coals  in  a  letter, 
and  Send  them  to  the  camp.  It  is  probable  that  thousands  of  pastors,  and 
parents,  and  brothers,  and  sisters  have  been  able  to  express  to  uncon- 
verted soldiers  by  letter  what  they  never  could  have  said  acceptably 
under  any  otber  circumstances.  This  is  the  day  when  missionary  work 
is  preeminently  to  take  on  the  epistolary  form.  Write  cheering  words  to 
the  godly  chaplains  if  you  know  them." 

It  was  God's  battle  these  men  were  fighting.  It  was  a 
divine  decree  they  were  carrying  out ;  and  back  of  every  cloud 
of  defeat  Kirk  knew  the  sun  of  a  new  day  was  shining.  Thus 
he  spoke  upon  Thanksgiving  Day,  1861 ;  words  of  inspi- 
ration in  the  day  whose  only  reason  for  thanksgiving  rested 
in  Him  who  for  the  present  was  hiding  himself.  To  a  city 
bewildered  and  saddened  by  the  almost  continuous  national 
defeats  the  Mount  Vernon  pulpit  became  like  a  spring  of  cool- 
ing, living  waters. 

"  Text.  —  I  will  sing  of  mercy  and  judgment ;  unto  thee,  O  Lord,  will  I  sing.  — 
Psalm  ci.  1. 

"This  is  a  royal  Psalm.  It  seems  to  have  been  written  on  some  occa- 
sion when  the  king  was  led  to  renew  his  consecration  to  the  sacred  func- 
tions of  his  office.  Its  sublime  theme  is  mercy  and  judgment,  the  holy 
attributes  of  Jehovah,  which  he  makes  both  the  subject  of  praise  and 
thanksgiving  and  the  model  of  his  own  conduct. 

"  Mercy  and  judgment  are  not  identical,  either  as  feelings  in  the  heart 
or  as  external  courses  of  action.  But  they  have  the  same  spiritual  origin ; 
and  they  seek,  by  different  methods,  the  same  result.  God  could  not  be 
God  without  both.     And  we  are  not  Christians  if  we  do  not  love  both. 


THE   CIVIL   WAR.  283 

They  are  equally  occasions  for  our  admiration  and  our  gratitude.  Mercy 
is  so  direct  in  her  action,  so  agreeable  in  her  expression,  that  all  men 
praise  her.  But  Judgment  has  fewer  admirers,  because  its  methods  are 
severe.  In  fact  they  are  so  unwelcome  that  many  in  every  age  have 
tried  to  represent  God  as  solely  a  God  of  mercy,  and  not  of  judgment. 
The  Psalmist  viewed  it  otherwise  :  '  I  will  sing  of  mercy  and  judg- 
ment.' He  means  to  say  :  '  Both  make  me  happy;  both  I  admire;  to 
both  I  am  thankful.  And  as  song  is  the  natural  expression  of  admiration 
and  thankfulness,  I  will  sing  of  both.' 

"Judgment  deals  with  wrong.  It  is  the  form  that  benevolence  takes 
when  she  encounters  injustice.  What  shall  be  done  with  wrong  ?  Shall 
it  be  condemned  after  a  fair  trial?  Certainly.  But  that  is  judgment, 
holy  judgment,  which  respects  not  persons.  Shall  we  show  our  abhor- 
rence of  wrong  by  checking  it  with  the  strong  arm  of  power?  Certainly. 
But  that  is  judgment.  Should  we  punish  it  after  checking  it,  for  the 
good  of  the  whole  ?  Certainly.  But  that  is  judgment.  Mercy  looks 
only  to  the  welfare  of  the  individual;  Justice,  to  the  good  of  the  whole. 
Both  are  holy,  beautiful  in  holiness  :  Mercy  in  her  tenderness ;  Justice 
in  its  sternness.  I  will  then  sing  unto  the  Lord,  of  both  his  mercy 
and  judgment;  particularly  as  they  have  been  manifested  so  signally  in 
the  recent  history  and  present  condition  of  our  country.  God  has  arisen 
among  us,  and  put  on  his  robes  of  judgment,  summoning  a  guilty  people 
before  Him.  He  has  sent  upon  us  the  most  terrible  of  scourges  for  a 
nation  —  a  civil  war,  introduced  by  treason  and  bitter  hatred.  Shall  we 
then  sing  to-day?  Yes,  to-day;  and  our  theme  shall  be  judgment  and 
mercy. 

"  And  no  one  should  refuse  to  contemplate  the  dealings  of  God  with 
us,  because  they  enter  our  secular  life.  Many  do  not  use  proper  dis- 
crimination in  their  censures  of  preaching  on  secular  topics.  One  may 
preach  about  bread,  and  in  so  doing  violate  the  proprieties  of  the  pulpit. 
It  will  not  be,  however,  because  bread  is  a  material  substance  and  in 
daily  use.  One  could  not  preach  on  the  Lord's  prayer  without  speaking 
of  '  our  daily  bread. '  No  ;  religion  embraces  everything.  God  is  in  the 
earth  and  sea,  and  flowers  and  thunder-bolts,  in  sunshine  and  war.  And 
it  is  our  religious  duty  to  follow  and  find  Him  there.  God  was  manifested 
in  the  wars  of  Israel,  and  in  the  abolition  of  slavery  in  Egypt.  And  you 
cannot  read  your  Bible  through  without  meeting  war  and  abolition  in 
that  most  religious  book.  The  revolutions  of  kingdoms  are  the  great 
theme  of  prophecy,  because  they  are  vitally  connected  with  the  coming 
of  Christ's  kingdom. 

"  We  are  scourged.  This  is  his  judgment.  A  more  sudden  abase- 
ment of  national  pride,  and  a  more  wicked  interruption  of  national  pros- 
perity has  rarely  been  witnessed  in  the  history  of  the  world.  A  more 
causeless,  unreasonable,  and  bitter  alienation  of  one  part  of  a  country 


284  LIFE  OF  EDWARD  NORRIS  KIRK. 

from  another  lias  seldom  been  seen.  We  have  just  passed  through  a  pe- 
riod full  of  imminent  danger,  and  through  a  great  trial.  War  is  God's 
scourge;  especially  a  civil  war.  And  the  worst  feature  of  it,  in  our  case, 
is,  that  we  deserve  it.  Justice  has  done  it;  not  revenge,  nor  tyranny, 
nor  mere  passion.  It  is  justice.  God's  hand  is  guided  by  high  and  holy 
principles  in  these  occurrences.  Great  principles  direct  his  actions,  and 
great  issues  are  before  his  eye,  that  reconcile  Him  to  all  this  evil.  God 
is  glorious  in  holiness,  fearful  in  praises.  '  I  will  sing  of  judgment  :  unto 
thee,  O  Lord,  I  will  sing.'  But  why  should  we  be  thankful  for  the 
scourge  ?  Because,  it  is  tempered  with  mercy  ;  because  it  is  less  than 
we  deserve;  because    '  He  chasteneth  us  for  our  profit.'       Observe,  then, 

"  I.  We  might  justly  suffer  much  greater  evils  than  those  which  are  upon 
us.  We  deserve,  as  unfaithful  stewards,  to  be  put  out  of  the  vineyard, 
that  more  faithful  men  may  take  our  places.  We  have  manifested  so 
much  irreligion,  ingratitude,  and  rebellion  against  God.  that  He  would 
have  been  just  in  abandoning  our  nation  to  destruction.  And  yet  we 
are  not  destroyed  ;  we  are  only  scourged. 

"II.  This  is  strictly  a  defensive  war.  Look  upon  this  fact.  Were  it 
a  war  of  aggression,  our  condition  would  be  tenfold  worse  than  it  is.  If 
the  conscience  and  the  religious  sentiment  of  the  country  were  not  with 
the  government,  our  position  would  be  as  terrible  as  it  would  be  perilous. 
Many  of  us  have  lived  to  see  what  we  had  imagined  we  should  never  wit- 
ness :  that  is,  a  war  in  which  the  conscience  and  heart  could  so  fully 
and  unreservedly  sanction  the  feelings  of  patriotism  in  desiring  military 
success.  Toward  God  we  are  all  guilty,  government  and  people.  But 
toward  man  our  government,  our  country,  stands  spotless,  in  the  calm- 
ness, dignity,  firmness,  and  unrevengeful  spirit  of  righteousness.  Its 
record  is  clear  before  the  God  of  justice,  before  the  tribunal  of  the  civil- 
ized world ;  ready  to  be  entered  on  the  solemn  scroll  of  history. 

"  Our  brethren  have  tried  to  make  themselves  a  distinct  people  from 
us  ;  have  challenged  us,  before  the  universe,  to  save  our  government 
from  annihilation,  and  ourselves  from  subjection  to  a  tyranny  whose 
corner-stone  is  enslavement  of  man.  They  have  struck  the  blow  at  our 
flag;  the  symbol  of  our  existence,  of  our  rights,  our  freedom,  our  honor, 
and  our  position  in  the  family  of  nations.  Thanks  be  to  God  that  He 
has  not  abandoned  us  to  such  a  mad  ambition  and  hatred  of  our  breth- 
ren; that  we  did  not  commence  the  strife  Avith  deeds  of  robbery  and  per- 
jury ;  that  we  did  not  strike  the  first  blow  in  this  fratricidal  war;  that 
we  have  violated  no  compact,  and  claimed  no  right  to  oppress  the  weak. 
Our  enemies  being  judges,  of  what  are  we  guilty?  What  are  the  crimes 
that  call  for  them  to  bring  upon  us  the  horrors  of  civil  war  ?  How  have 
we  merited  their  hatred  ?  Why  should  they  endeavor  to  reduce  all  our 
national  glory  to  dishonor,  and  to  create  by  our  side  a  hostile  kingdom, 
which  must  forever  prevent  them,  and  us  alike,  from  attaining  any  na- 


THE   CIVIL   WAR.  285 

tional  greatness?  They  accuse  us  of  hating  the  enslavement  of  man; 
of  believing  it  to  be  a  crime  and  a  disgrace ;  of  proclaiming  that  convic- 
tion to  the  world  ;  and  of  intending  to  do  so  still.  That  is  true.  But 
war  will  not  change  our  convictions,  nor  seal  our  lips,  unless  we,  too, 
are  made  slaves.  And  they  must  make  war,  then,  on  the  civilized  world, 
on  the  same  ground.  Again,  we  outvoted  them.  That  was  no  crime 
against  God  or  them.  Then  we  endeavored  to  feed  our  starving  sol- 
diers in  a  national  fortress.  This  is  all  we  have  done  to  make  them 
our  enemies.  To-day  let  us  thank  God  that  since  we  must  be  in  a  war, 
must  suffer  and  sacrifice,  perhaps  die,  it  is  in  such  a  cause.  Every  blow 
we  strike  is  in  the  defense  of  constitutional  liberty  ;  of  all  that  a  nation 
can  hold  dear  :  its  honor,  its  property,  its  capitol,  its  right  to  choose  its 
own  rulers,  nay  its  very  existence  ;  may  we  not  say,  that  of  Christian 
civilization  itself. 

"  Since  justice  must  let  us  be  involved  in  war,  what  could  we  ask  of 
mercy  beyond  this :  that  we  are  not  guilty  of  destroying  the  peace  of 
this  land,  of  disgracing  as  noble  an  ancestry  and  as  grand  a  history  as 
any  nation  ever  had  ;  that  this  is,  on  our  side,  a  righteous  war;  that  if 
we  must  destroy  life,  we  destroy  only  the  life  that  has  staked  itself  against 
our  country's  very  existence? 

"  Look  at  another  of  its  features  :  — 

"III.  The  present  financial  condition  of  our  country  is  a  merciful  ar- 
rangement of  a  kind  Providence.  It  was  supposed  by  our  enemies  at 
home  and  abroad  that  our  dependence  upon  Southern  planters  and  Eu- 
ropean bankers  would  throw  us  into  the  power  of  both.  King  Cotton 
had. but  to  frown,  and  the  Northern  slaves  of  mammon  would  cower  and 
sue  for  his  clemency.  London  bankers  would  give  us  money  only  on 
condition  of  our  annihilating  the  unity  and  power  of  our  country. 

"  But  God,  in  his  mercy,  has  left  us  to  no  such  alternative.  I  need  not 
dwell  on  the  familiar  fact.  Yet  this  day  it  is  one  of  the  pivots  on  which 
the  destiny  of  our  country  turns.  And  the  existence  of  that  fact  we 
owe  to  the  mercy  of  an  overruling  Providence  whose  power  is  felt  on 
the  exchange,  whether  it  is  there  acknowledged  or  ignored.  In  the 
midst  of  a  terrible  and  most  costly  war,  we  have  $75,000,000  in  banks, 
sub-treasuries,  and  mints.  The  very  expenditures  of  the  war  are  pre- 
venting that  poverty  and  stagnation  of  industry  and  trade  which  usually 
accompany  war.  Think  not  this  comes  by  accident.  Some  men  look 
with  solicitude  at  the  accumulation  of  an  immense  national  debt.  But 
we  may  see  that  while  private  debts  are  often  perilous,  public  debts,  as 
in  England,  serve  the  double  purpose  of  enlisting  private  interests  for 
the  maintenance  of  the  government,  and  thus  prevent  the  temptations 
arising  from  fullness  in  the  public  coffers. 

"  IV.  Every  step  and  stage  of  the  war  is  an  advance  toward  the  desired 
tnd :  not  excepting  our  defeats.     What  have  we  in  view  ? 


286  LIFE   OF  EDWARD   NORMS   KIRK. 

"  First,  the  consolidation  of  sentiment  in  the  free  States.  There  was 
especially  needed  in  reference  to  the  future  welfare  of  this  nation,  a  pro- 
founder  sentiment  of  patriotism,  a  deeper  attachment  to  the  country,  the 
Constitution,  the  common  name,  and  the  flag.  We  were  in  danger  of 
dropping  apart  by  our  very  magnitude  and  weight.  There  were  deadlier 
enemies  at  work  among  us  than  rebellion  itself.  And  now  rebellion  has 
been  permitted  to  arise,  and  either  destroy  them  all,  or  diminish  the  dan- 
gers they  make.  I  allude  to  the  ambition  of  politicians  and  the  immense 
power  of  political  organizations  ;  to  the  retaining  of  national  feelings  by 
the  Germans  and  Irish,  which  made  them  permanently  foreigners.  I  al- 
lude to  the  growth  of  covetousness.  I  allude  to  the  very  great  geograph- 
ical distances  which  separate  San  Francisco  from  Portland,  Boston  from 
New  Orleans.  I  allude  to  the  apparently  rival  interests  and  the  local 
jealousies  of  cities,  states,  and  sections,  of  which  demagogues  have  so 
availed  themselves.  But  the  war  is  now  fusing  us  into  one  nation.  Its 
welding  heat  is  making  one  people  of  Irish,  German,  and  British  races. 
The  love  of  country  is  becoming  a  sentiment  that  can  control  the  baser 
passions  of  covetousness  and  ambition.  That  flag  which  condenses  in 
itself  our  national  name  and  history,  our  institutions,  our  principles,  our 
home,  and  our  hopes,  is  becoming  dearer  than  ever  to  our  hearts.  This 
is  just  what  the  nation  has  lacked:  sentiment  and  patriotism.  This  is 
now  growing,  by  the  grace  of  God.  The  first  ball  that  struck  Fort  Sum- 
ter shook  the  continent  like  an  earthquake.  The  Scripture  was  fulfilled, 
and  a  nation  was  born  in  a  day.  The  political  party  that  had  been  the 
ally  of  Southern  statesmen,  in  one  day  sprang  from  the  low  level  of  par- 
tisanship to  the  lofty  ground  of  patriotism.  Wall  Street  and  State  Street 
ceased  to  look  after  the  accumulations  of  private  fortunes,  and  gave  their 
mighty  energies  to  saving  the  country.  Oh!  it  was  a  glorious  sight.  It 
may  take  Europe  some  time  to  appreciate  it.  But  it  will  yet  be  appre- 
ciated. Our  beloved  country  never  grew  so  rapidly  in  everything  that 
makes  a  country,  as  she  has  grown  since  the  day  when  treason  aimed  the 
death-blow  at  her  heart.  And  what  did  the  retreat  of  Bull  Run  accom- 
plish? It  was  the  passing  of  the  child  into  the  vigor  of  youth.  It  was 
the  second  stage  of  an  awakening  of  patriotism.  And  what  did  the 
defeat  at  Ball  Bluff?  It  was  the  transition  of  patriotism  from  youth  to 
manhood.  The  country  then  awoke  to  appreciate  its  critical  position,  its 
glorious  commission,  its  solemn  work.  I  do  not  know  but  I  may  say,  it 
brought  the  government  to  its  feet,  opened  its  eyes,  brought  its  heart  into 
full  play,  dispelled  its  last  generous  but  illusive  dream  of  coaxing  rebel- 
lion and  of  handling  it  mincingly.  Hatteras  and  Port  Royal  come  better 
after  Bull  Run  than  before  it.  We  are  to-day  a  more  united  and  patri- 
otic people  than  we  have  been  since  the  century  opened.  Native  and 
foreign-born,  we  have  but  one  country,  one  government,  one  flag,  one 
'nterest.  For  a  nation  living  under  a  popular  form  of  government,  this 
attainment  is  worth  all  it  has  cost. 


THE   CIVIL   WAR.  287 

"  When  I  reached  Philadelphia,  in  April  last,  after  leaving  the  murky- 
atmosphere  of  treason  in  Richmond,  and  of  fear  in  Washington  and  Bal- 
timore, the  first  sight  that  greeted  my  eye  was  the  national  flag  waving 
from  the  Catholic  cathedral.  My  heart  thanked  God,  as  it  does  this 
day.  The  Celtic  heart  is  loyal,  I  said.  Irishmen  and  Catholics  are  true 
to  the  nation  that  has  adopted  them.  I  have  always  entertained  fears  in 
that  direction ;  because  they  are  a  generous,  excitable  people,  loyal  to 
their  national  ties;  and  I  feared  they  would  be  misled  by  demagogues. 
Irishmen  and  Germans  are  now  found  true  to  their  oath  of  naturalization. 
This  war  has  proved  it,  has  sealed  it.  And  the  same  is  true  of  sectional 
distinctions,  East  and  West,  North  and  South.  Those  barriers  of  ice 
are  melted  away  that  threatened  to  make  us  a  group  of  contending  tribes, 
instead  of  one  mighty  people.  We  are,  by  the  necessity  of  the  case, 
sending  Northern  troops,  not  to  conquer,  but  to  recolonize  Virginia;  for 
they  are  finding  wives  and  homes  there;  and  to  South  Carolina  to  build 
a  new  metropolis  of  commerce  on  a  better  site  than  Charleston  occupies ; 
we  are  inoculating  free,  recompensed,  and  respected  labor  on  their  ener- 
vated constitutions. 

"  Then,  too,  the  question  of  popular  government  is  now  passing  tri- 
umphantly through  its  last  and  severest  ordeal.  It  has  stood  the  test  of 
time,  of  European  convulsions,  of  prosperity,  of  foreign  wars.  And  now 
the  last  and  fiercest  of  all  is  treason,  seated  at  the  South  and  ramified 
throughout  the  North.  And  what  is  the  result?  It  is  found  that  the 
people  love  the  Constitution;  and  that  they  intend,  God  helping  them, 
to  maintain  it.  It  is  true,  this  war  has  come  as  a  thunder-storm  to  rav- 
age the  land,  to  destroy  many  private  fortunes,  desolate  individual  farms, 
and  devour  the  fruits  of  personal  industry.  But  its  lightnings  have 
burnt  up  the  miasma  that  threatened  the  life  of  its  entire  people.  It 
seems  impossible  that  with  Washington  as  corrupt  as  it  had  become,  the 
immense  nation  that  will  soon  cover  this  continent  should  not  have  ex- 
perienced internal  convulsions  at  a  time  when  there  should  remain  none 
of  the  healthful  power  of  resistance  that  still  exists.  The  race  of  politi- 
cal stock-jobbers  is  now  greatly  reduced.  The  country  has  become  suffi- 
ciently patriotic  to  demand  patriotism  in  its  leaders.  Love  for  the  gov- 
ernment, an  appreciation  of  its  value,  confidence  in  the  Constitution,  the 
discovery  that  the  doctrine  of  State  sovereignty  and  secession  is  rebellion 
and  the  tool  of  demagogues  —  this  is  the  gain  of  the  war.  It  needed  a 
baptism  of  fire  and  blood  to  fit  us  for  the  work  before  us.  We  had  be- 
come imbecile  and  blind.  That  a  rebellion  could  be  hatched,  that  the 
president  could  connive  at  it ;  that  the  war  and  navy  secretaries  could 
have  played  their  desperate  game  in  sight  of  the  nation  and  the  army; 
that  the  free  States  could  have  been  so  duped  and  drugged  as  to  permit 
this  to  proceed  so  far ;  that  we  should  come  so  reluctantly  to  grapple 
with  the  enemy  of  our  righteous  and  beneficent  government,  nay,  of  our 
national  existence;  all  this  shows  we  needed  the  shock  of  an  earthquake. 


288  LIFE   OF  EDWARD  NORMS   KIRK. 

"  And  mercy  has  let  it  come.  And  I  am  here  to-day,  not  to  talk  of 
religion  in  the  abstract,  nor  of  mercy  as  a  thing  of  the  fancy,  but  to 
point  you  to  that  mercy  which  we  can  trace  in  the  actual  events  of  our 
day  ;  that  mercy  whose  banner  and  shield  have  been  over  us  continually, 
as  over  our  fathers.  In  the  very  midst  of  the  civil  war  God  has  permit- 
ted us  to  bind  the  remotest  West  to  the  extreme  East  by  the  mystic  cords 
of  the  palpitating  wires  —  a  pledge  of  the  permanent  union  of  our  happy 
States. 

"  Again,  we  observe,  slavery  has  been  unmasked  by  the  war.  Its  influ- 
ence was  mighty,  but  unsuspected  by  a  large  portion  of  our  people.  It 
was  almost  protected  by  good  men,  and  used  for  their  own  ends  by  bad 
men.  At  the  South  it  was  making  a  separate  nation  from  that  old  re- 
public which  had  been  founded  by  the  wisdom  and  patriotic  zeal  of  the 
fathers,  cemented  by  their  tears,  their  blood,  and  their  prayers.  It  was 
inflating  the  pride  and  stimulating  the  avarice  of  planters  and  of  traders 
in  flesh  ;  producing  a  contempt  for  the  industrial  classes,  who  must  ever 
be  the  majority  of  a  healthful  nation  ;  insatiable  in  its  demands  for 
power;  contributing  to  make  a  small  but  dangerous  aristocracy,  a  small 
middle  class,  and  a  vast  mass  of  brutal,  ignorant  ruffians  to  constitute, 
with  slaves,  the  body  politic.  This  thing  could  not  have  gone  much  far- 
ther without  reaching  a  crisis,  even  if  the  free  North  had  not  prevailed, 
this  term,  at  the  polls. 

"  I  will  not  tarry  to  rehearse  the  wonderful  progress  we  have  been 
making  in  a  harmonious  apprehension  of  that  evil.  We  have  not  made 
war  on  slavery;  but  we  are  finding  that  slavery  has  made  war  on  us. 
Its  history  for  eighty  years  is  now  passing  before  the  solemn  tribunal  of 
the  Northern  conscience.  Its  doom  is  probably  sealed.  That  is  from 
the  mercy  of  God. 

"  Look,  then,  in  another  direction.  When  the  first  messenger  from 
the  North  reached  the  president,  he  was  sitting  in  his  palace  like  a 
palsied  man.  He  had  escaped  an  intended  assassination  himself,  but  the 
blow  had  just  been  struck  at  his  country  in  the  harbor  of  Charleston. 
There  the  messenger  found  our  chief  sitting  at  a  table,  looking  through  a 
telescope  at  the  heights  of  Arlington.  Commander-in-chief  of  the  Ameri- 
can army  at  the  capital,  but  stripped  of  arms,  forts,  fleets,  men,  all  the 
munitions  of  war  !  The  sworn  defenders  of  the  country  were  daily  de- 
serting their  country  and  joining  its  enemies  ;  men  nurtured  and  trained 
by  the  mother  whom  they  were  rising  to  destroy.  There  he  sat,  watch- 
ing to  see  the  tide  of  villainy  roll  over  the  eminence  before  him  and  sweep 
the  capital  from  the  face  of  the  earth.  What  was  to  hinder  them  ? 
Why  did  they  not  come?  Let  us  to-day  sing  unto  the  Lord  of  mercy 
and  judgment.  The  enemy  has  not  advanced  one  step  by  power  ;  all 
his  advantages  have  been  gained  by  fraud  and  perjury ;  not  one  furlong 
by  the  force  of  arms.     This  is  a  fact  this  day  to  be  remembered  with 


THE   CIVIL  WAR.  289 

thankfulness.  Eleven  States  seceded.  But  how  stands  the  case  to-day? 
Delaware,  Maryland,  Missouri,  Western  Virginia,  and  the  Eastern  shore 
of  Virginia,  Northern  Kentucky,  and  Eastern  Tennessee,  and  many 
counties  of  North  Carolina  are  probably  secured  to  the  national  cause. 
In  North  Carolina,  South  Carolina,  Florida,  and  Mississippi  we  have 
gained  a  military  footing  and  a  basis  of  military  operations.  The  sea  is 
almost  wholly  ours.  The  only  advance,  then,  that  has  been  made,  has 
been  made  by  us,  and  on  slave  territory.  And  let  us  devoutly  recall  the 
recent  achievements  of  our  navy,  with  the  gallant  struggles  of  the  army. 
That  both  our  fleets  survived  those  Hatteras  gales  and  went  straight  on 
to  victory,  calls  for  our  grateful  acknowledgments.  How  many  incidents 
there  are  in  these  enterprises  that  should  come  before  us  in  the  services 
of  this  day.  The  peril  of  the  fleets  awakened  the  feeling  of  our  depend- 
ence on  God.  Admiral  Dupont  declares  that  his  faith  in  God  did  not  fail 
amid  that  terrific  storm  and  darkness,  in  which  his  fleet  was  entirely 
scattered.  And  it  is  said  that  the  most  terrible  weapon  in  the  enemy's 
fort  was  shattered  to  fragments  at  the  opening  of  the  fight.  And  as  the 
flag-ship  came  up  to  the  fort,  pouring  forth  her  destructive  fire,  the  wind 
blew  the  smoke  away  from  the  fleet  directly  in  the  eyes  of  the  enemy. 
Our  ships  were  thus  veiled  from  their  view;  and  being  in  motion,  the 
enemy's  fire  must  be  uncertain;  while  the  forts  being  stationary,  the  aim 
from  the  ships  was  sure. 

"  I  would,  then,  animate  your  thankfulness  by  another  feature  of  our 
present  condition.     It  is, 

"  V.  The  relations  ice  sustain  to  Europe.  The  terrible  discovery  is 
made,  so  far  as  represented  by  the  press,  that  England  proves  false  to 
freedom.  We  have  revered  her  as  its  champion  ;  we  cared  not  to  assimi- 
late her  political  forms  to  ours.  Her  faith,  her  spirit,  her  policy,  we  ad- 
mired. Her  future  king  we  welcomed  among  us  with  a  sincere  heart. 
But  now  the  real  feeling  of  very  many  of  her  people  appears  to  be  un- 
masked. We  fear  it  may  be  found  that  she  loves  cotton  more  than  she 
hates  slavery ;  that  she  opposed  slavery  among  us  for  the  same  reason 
she  now  favors  it.  She  has  not  escaped  the  witchery  of  the  magic  dollar, 
for  which  she  reproaches  and  ridicules  us.  We  find  her  jealous  of  our 
power,  and  hating  the  popular  form  of  government  to  an  extent  which, 
in  enlightened  Englishmen,  amazes  us.  She  is  exulting  in  the  supposed 
dissolution  of  the  Republic  !  In  the  words  of  the  Earl  of  Shrewsbury, 
'Democracy  has  been  on  its  trial  in  America,  and  has  failed.'  But 
what  is  she  going  to  do  ?  The  mercy  of  our  God,  we  find,  is  controlling 
the  answer  to  that  question.  Beside  the  entirely  threatening  condition 
of  continental  affairs  in  Europe,  a  secret  mistrust  of  France,  and  a 
threatening  Irish  famine,  beside  the  impression  produced  on  her  states- 
men by  the  unanimity  of  the  North  and  the  financial  independence  of 
the  free  States;  beside  the  fact  that  our  ability  to  raise  an  army  of  half 
19 


290  LIFE   OF  EDWARD  NORMS   KIRK. 

a  million  citizens  in  six  or  eight  months  cautions  them  against  meddling 
in  our  affairs,  God  has  put  another  hook  in  the  nostrils  of  the  British 
aristocracy.  He  has  showed  them  that  they  are  more  dependent  on 
Northern  wheat  and  corn  than  on  Southern  cotton,  to  keep  their  poor 
from  starvation;  and  that  the  Northern  States  furnish  the  most  impor- 
tant market  for  the  fabrics  that  employ  their  operatives.  These  arrange- 
ments come  not  by  accident.1  We  have  not  effected  them  by  our  wisdom. 
God  has  made  them,  and  they  are  a  bulwark  against  us,  that  prevents 
that  proud  nation  from  insulting  us  and  attacking  us.  We  shall  not 
drift  into  another  war  with  England.  And  thankfully  this  day  may  we 
think  how  different  is  the  case  of  two  ambassadors  chatting  harmlessly  in 
Fort  Warren  and  the  same  men  plotting  mischief  in  London  and  Paris ! 
Let  us  now  look  in  another  direction,  at 

"VI.  The  moral  influences  of  the  war  upon  the  national  character.  I 
have  already  spoken  of  the  national  need  of  patriotism.  I  now  look  at 
it  more  in  a  moral  than  a  political  aspect.  There  are  ambitious  men  pro- 
moting the  war.  But  ambition  was  not  its  mainspring.  We  have  sought 
to  invade  no  territory  of  a  stranger ;  scarcely  have  we  defended  our  own. 
It  is  for  country,  for  government,  for  principles,  for  freedom,  we  are  con- 
tending. The  aim  is  noble  ;  and  every  pulse  that  beats  quicker  for  so 
grand  an  object  is  itself  ennobling.  This  is  the  very  spirit  of  heroism,  of 
martyrs  and  confessors.  Loyalty  is  next  to  the  religious  affections  in 
grandeur. 

"  The  afflictions  of  1861  are  a  blessing  inasmuch  as  they  have  checked 
the  culminating  corruption  of  1860  and  of  the  twenty  years  preceding  it. 
In  righteous  judgment  God  has  arrested  the  dreadful  descent  by  which  we 
were  hastening  to  a  level  of  insupportable  wickedness.  Eighty  years  of 
peace  and  prosperity  had  effeminated  us.  The  accumulation  of  political 
power,  the  growth  of  wealth,  the  growing  luxuriousness  of  living,  had 

1  The  Hon.  Bradford  R.  Wood,  of  Al-  dent  Lincoln.     No  honor  was  given  Secre- 

bany,  was  at  this  time,  to  which  Dr.  Kirk  tary  Seward.     No  respect  was  expressed  for 

refers,  our  minister  to  Denmark.     The  con-  the  valor  of  our  armies.     One  member  after 

suls  in  that  Danish  court  declared  that  no  another  raised  his  voice  against  us,  calling 

nation  had  ever  insulted  England  so  often  for  immediate  war,  which  there  was  no  cot- 

as  had  our  own,  and  war  must  come.     The  ton  trade  to  avert. 

capture  of  Mason  and  Slidell  heightened  the  In  the  midst  of  that  hot  discussion  Cob- 
fever  in  England.  Our  great  diplomatist  den  held  his  peace,  or  until  near  its  close. 
Seward  began  his  correspondence,  yet  this  Every  eye  was  fixed  upon  the  great  com- 
did  not  heal  the  wound.  Richard  Cobden,  moner ;  and  every  ear  was  that  of  a  listener 
the  stanch  friend  of  America,  wrote  Minis-  when  he  rose  to  speak.  His  opening  words 
ter  Wood  before  the  meeting  of  Parliament,  declared,  what  we  now  know  to  have  been 
"  Nothing  but  short  crops  will  avert  the  the  sole  reason  of  our  escape :  "  Sirs ;  all 
war."  Some  weeks  later  Mr.  Cobden  wrote  the  gold  of  England  cannot  buy  bread 
again,  saying  that  the  severe  drought  had  enough  for  her  use  anywhere  out  of  the 
cut  the  crops  short.  Northern  States;  "  and  we  were  saved  from 

Parliament   assembled;    and    in   it  only  England's   intervention    in    behalf   of   the 

about  six  men  outspoken  in  favor  of  Amer-  South,  solely  because  of  her  lack  of  bread. 
ica.     No  sympathy  was  expressed  for  Presi- 


THE   CIVIL  WAE.  291 

gained  on  us  at  a  fearful  rate.  This  is  now  checked.  There  are  prob- 
ably many  bad  men  still  in  Washington.  But  nobler  thoughts  and  graver 
purposes  have  succeeded  to  the  baseness  that  was  there  gradually  ab- 
sorbing to  itself  the  sources  and  resources  of  the  nation's  power.  Let  us 
sing  of  the  scourge  that  has  chased  from  the  national  temple  the  gamblers 
and  robbers  who  occupied  it. 

"The  baser  sentiments  had  gained  an  immense  ascendency  every- 
where. Avarice  and  luxury  had  spread  like  the  Asiatic  cholera,  threat- 
ening to  destroy  the  moral  vigor  of  many  of  the  leading  classes  of  society. 
But  what  a  deliverance  has  God  sent  us !  Blessed  be  the  war  for  thou- 
sands of  our  young  men,  for  hundreds  of  our  families  ;  because  it  has 
induced  a  simpler  style  of  living,  a  higher  conception  of  life,  a  deeper 
sense  of  responsibility,  a  cheerful  sacrifice  of  property ;  yea,  a  ready  de- 
votement  of  life  itself,  a  consecration  of  beloved  sons,  brothers,  husbands, 
fathers,  to  the  public  good.  And  what  lessons  are  learned  in  this  war! 
There  is,  indeed,  intemperance  and  profaneness  in  the  camp;  but  prob- 
ably never  under  so  many  moral  checks  and  seldom  under  so  much  relig- 
ious influence  as  now.  Whatever  officers  in  the  army  may  once  have 
thought  of  temperance  pledges,  there  are  few  who  do  not  now  give  their 
entire  influence  to  debar  intoxicating  drinks  from  the  camp.  And  while 
the  church  of  Christ  is  aroused  to  an  uncommon  degree  to  supply  relig- 
ious reading  for  the  army,  the  whole  civil  and  military  authority  of  the 
land  have  combined  to  promote  this  object  in  every  way  within  their 
official  powers.  And  to-day  there  are  no  returns  from  the  camp  more 
gratifying  to  the  heart  of  Christian  patriotism  than  the  reports  of  the 
chaplains  and  our  agents  for  distributing  religious  books  and  tracts  in 
the  army.  Nor  can  the  attentive  observer  look  with  indifference  upon 
the  advantageous  side  of  military  life  in  other  respects.  The  very  train- 
ing bodies  of  young  men  is  a  national  gain.  The  discipline,  the  vigilance, 
the  familiarity  with  hardship,  the  subjection  to  authority,  all  are  so  im- 
portant as  to  have  furnished  favorite  figures  for  the  sacred  writers  in 
inculcating  Christian  manliness.  '  Endure  hardship  as  a  good  soldier  of 
Jesus  Christ,'  is  a  Christian  counsel  that  gives  honor  to  the  camp. 

"  '  What  constitutes  a  state  ? 
Not  high-raised  battlement,  or  labored  mound, 

Thick  wall  or  moated  gate ; 
Not  cities  proud,  with  spires  and  turrets  crowned; 

Not  bays  and  broad-armed  ports, 
Where,  laughing  at  the  storm,  rich  navies  ride; 

Nor  starred  and  spangled  courts, 
Where  low-brow'd  baseness  wafts  perfume  to  pride  ; 

No  :  men,  high-minded  men,     .... 

Men  who  their  duties  know, 
But  know  their  rights,  and  knowing,  dare  maintain. 

These  constitute  a  state.' 


292  LIFE   OF  EDWARD  NORMS   KIRK. 

"We  are  advancing  in  manhood.  The  whole  spirit  of  this  war  is 
judgment  tempered  by  mercy. 

"  VII.  The  religious  effects  of  the  war  demand  our  thankfulness.  In 
the  first  place,  it  is  a  teacher  of  religious  truth.  It  is  inculcating  the 
very  principles  for  which  evangelical  religion  has  been  keenly  opposed 
and  bitterly  hated ;  and  if  any  one  is  not  thankful  for  that,  he  ought  to  be. 
It  is  now  demonstrated  and  admitted  by  many  who  once  thought  other- 
wise, that  there  is  something  more  important  in  the  universe  than  the 
happiness  of  rebels;  that  the  power  to  destroy  is  essential  to  a  govern- 
ment; that  it  is  not  wrong  in  God  or  man  to  threaten  the  wicked  with 
real  and  tremendous  evils;  that  the  God  of  the  Old  Testament  is  the 
God  of  the  New;  and  that  the  destruction  of  his  enemies  was  not,  after 
all,  a  proof  of  malevolence;  that  a  holy  Being  may  justify  and  encourage 
a  war;  that  the  Quaker  non-resistance  principle  is  not  the  teaching  of 
our  Saviour. 

"  The  war  has  also  given  to  many  persons  views  of  life  which  urge  the 
claims  of  religion.  War  is  a  stern  and  serious  reality,  familiarizing  the 
mind  with  hardship,  self-denial,  and  the  nearness  of  death  and  retribu- 
tion. And  the  consequence  is,  that  many  of  our  soldiers  have  become 
deeply  thoughtful  in  the  camp;  many  of  them  truly  religious.  And  I 
presume  that  in  no  former  war  have  Christians  so  fully  regarded  the 
army  as  a  field  for  missionary  labors.  Never  was  an  army  so  supplied 
with  Bibles  and  religious  books  as  this  has  been.  Never  were  so  many 
thousands  of  dollars  expended  for  this  object.  Never  before  have  we 
heard  of  an  army  hymn-book  and  a  religious  paper  made  expressly  for 
the  soldier. 

"  In  previous  wars  the  disbanding  of  an  army  was  almost  as  bad  as  the 
invasion  of  an  enemy ;  it  sent  back  to  society  men  so  depraved  in  their 
characters  and  brutalized  in  their  manners.  This  is  now  changed  with 
our  army.  A  strong  religious  influence  is  exerted,  sanctioned  by  the 
rulers  of  the  nation,  and  by  the  example  of  men  at  the  very  head  of 
the  army  and  the  navy.  We  thank  God  this  day  for  General  McClel- 
lan's  proclamation  concerning  the  Sabbath. 

"  I  suggest  but  one  other  occasion  for  thanksgiving:  — 

"  VIII.  The  reasonable  anticipation  of  the  issues  of  this  war  is  so  bright. 
I  allude  first  to  the  material  results!  In  regard  to  the  destruction  of 
life,  it  is  a  striking  fact  that  a  kind  Providence  has  led  us  to  avoid  the 
principal  causes  of  mortality  in  war.  Intemperance,  bad  food,  needless 
exposure,  neglect  of  diseases  and  wounds,  are  said  to  destroy  three  or 
four  for  every  one  killed  in  battle.  Never  has  an  army  so  early  in  a  war 
been  so  well  provided  against  these  several  evils  as  our  own.  And  it  is 
not  improbable  that  the  manly  drill  of  the  camp,  the  simplicity  of  diet, 
the  vigorous  exercise  of  military  life,  really  strike  the  balance  on  the 
side  of  an  immediate  gain  for  the  nation  in  regard  to  both  disease  and 
death. 


THE   CIVIL  WAR.  293 

"  In  addition  to  this,  we  may  anticipate  that  there  will  come  out  of 
this  convulsion  an  entirely  new  order  of  things  in  the  slave-holding 
States. 

"  The  longer  the  rebellion  continues,  the  more  extensive  will  the  area 
of  free  and  requited  labor  become.  And  that  is  the  only  labor  which 
really  adds  to  the  wealth  of  a  country;  the  other  is  an  exhaustive  proc- 
ess. Virginia,  from  her  soil,  climate,  mineral  resources,  and  exquisite 
scenery,  should  be  the  glory  of  our  country.  Under  a  new  order  of 
things  she  may  be.  That  new  order,  in  all  probability,  will  be  intro- 
duced, and  she  be  doomed  no  more  to  make  her  chief  commerce  in 
trafficking  in  human  flesh. 

"Missouri  is  desolated  now,  in  part.  But  in  ten  years  after  the  war 
she  will  probably  have  made  more  progress  than  in  twenty  of  her  past 
history. 

"  I  allude  also  to  the  political  results.  The  question  was  first  pressed 
very  vehemently:  Are  you  going  to  coerce  the  South?  Then  it  became: 
Are  you  going  to  subjugate  tbe  South?  The  answer  is,  Neither.  What 
then?  We  are  going,  by  God's  help,  to  make  every  citizen  respect  the 
government,  and  every  traitor  flee  from  it,  or  pay  the  penalty  of  treason. 
And  we  thank  God  this  day  for  the  prospect  of  accomplishing  it. 

"  And  now  what  will  probably  be  the  future  position  of  slavery?  Look 
at  its  condition  when  the  rebellion  burst  into  existence.  It  is  the  creat- 
ure of  local  or  State  law  only,  of  which  the  Constitution  simply  makes 
one  provision,  —  the  delivery  of  a  fugitive  slave  on  claim,  while  not  a 
word  is  found  in  that  instrument  against  moral  opposition  to  slavery. 
Thus  the  Southern  and  the  Northern  sentiment  were  held  in  check,  and 
operated  in  political  harmony,  leaving  the  institution  secure  within  its 
original  limits. 

"  But  the  rebellion  has  changed  the  condition  of  things.  The  govern- 
ment has  not  now  a  single  constitutional  obligation,  on  this  or  any  other 
point,  as  respects  the  rebels.  They  themselves  have  taken  slavery  out 
from  whatever  protection  or  guarantee  of  any  kind  the  Constitution  by 
any  construction  may  have  furnished  it.  They  have  now  let  the  two 
sentiments  loose  on  the  field  of  battle.  It  was  prophesied  after  the 
French  Revolution  that  wars  were  thenceforth  to  be  wars  of  opinion. 
The  present  is  rather  a  war  of  principles  and  sentiments  than  of  opin- 
ions. The  Southern  principle  is,  that  society  exists  for  the  few;  that 
government,  law,  military  power,  commerce,  literature,  art,  and  science 
are  for  the  benefit  of  a  class,  not  of  the  people;  that  rank,  titles,  and 
wealth  are  necessary  to  the  happiness  of  a  few ;  that  labor  is  a  badge  of 
inferiority,  that  slavery  is  the  basis  of  a  high  civilization. 

"  The  effect  of  these  principles  is  to  produce  a  small  class  cultivating 
military  science,  general  elegance  of  manners,  and  a  large  class  charac- 
terized by  meanness,  pride,  ignorance,  cruelty,  poverty,  and  coarseness, 


294  LIFE   OF  EDWARD   NORMS   KIRK. 

with  a  desire  to  own  a  man,  and  a  universal  hatred  of  our  sympathy 
with  the  negro  race.  The  Northern  principle  is,  that  manhood,  not  color 
nor  national  origin,  is  the  ground  of  respect;  and  that  the  object  of  law 
is  to  secure  the  rights  of  all ;  and  the  happiness  of  all  is  the  true  end  of 
government.  Labor  is  honorable  in  all,  and  the  color  of  the  skin  makes 
no  difference  in  men  that  the  law  should  recognize.  The  two  principles 
are  now  in  open  conflict.  The  government  indeed  is  still  trying  to  hold 
itself  to  the  Constitution,  while  the  rebels  have  abandoned  it;  but  that 
which  we  have  this  day  to  recognize  with  thankfulness  to  God  is  that,  as 
already  remarked,  the  free  States  are  coming  to  harmonious  views  about 
the  institution;  that  the  army  is  in  fact  an  emancipator;  that  it  is  already 
seen  that  we  have  four  millions  of  friends  in  the  very  midst  of  our 
enemies ;  that  even  if  slavery  survives  the  conflict,  it  will  never  again 
tyrannize  over  the  free  States,  nor  monopolize  the  Federal  Government 
for  its  special  benefit ;  that  apologies  for  the  institution  will  no  more  dis- 
grace the  free  North.  The  friends  of  slavery,  in  their  madness,  have 
been  left  to  concentrate  the  whole  military  power  of  the  government  and 
sentiment  of  the  North  and  West  against  this  baleful  institution. 

"  Now  we  meet  the  question  :  Are  we  thankful  for  the  judgment  and 
the  mercy  of  God  ?  In  order  to  be,  we  must  see  the  hand  of  God  in 
events,  pleasant  and  unpleasant.  God  either  does,  or  procures,  or  per- 
mits to  be  done  whatever  takes  place,  so  that  we  may  thank  Him  for 
even  what  Judas  or  Nero  does,  and  what  we  may  despise  them  for  doing; 
for  in  it  we  shall  find  either  the  judgment  or  the  mercy  of  God. 

"There  can  be  no  enlightened,  honest,  fervent  thanksgiving  where 
men  understand  by  '  nature,'  laws  of  nature,  or  natural  forces,  anything 
that  banishes,  limits,  or  interrupts  the  permissive,  or  executive  agency 
of  God.  God  is  in  this  war.  God  is  moving  it  on  to  its  issues.  And  in 
every  step  and  stage  we  see  his  goings  forth;  his  judgment  or  his  mercy. 

"  And  to-day  we  will  acknowledge  Him,  by  penitence  for  our  offenses 
that  call  for  his  judgments;  by  fervent  thankfulness  for  the  past;  by 
humble  reliance  and  fervent  prayer  for  the  future;  'I  will  sing  of  mercy 
and  judgment;  unto  thee,  O  Lord,  will  I  sing.'  " 

Steadily  the  great  work  was  carried  forward  until  at  the 
close  of  the  first  twelve  months  of  war  the  North  had  gained 
fifty-six  battles  and  skirmishes  to  eight  gained  by  the  South. 
In  the  day  of  triumph  there  was  danger  that  the  lesson  of 
trust  learned  in  the  hour  of  defeat  should  be  forgotten.  If 
the  armies  of  the  North  were  God's  avenging  hosts,  admira- 
tion for  the  deeds  of  the  heroes  should  in  no  wise  supplant 
the  remembrance  of  Him  to  whom  alone  victory  belongs. 


THE   CIVIL   WAR.  295 

"Who  selected  an  obscure  Western  lawyer  to  take  the  helm  of  this 
tempest-tossed,  shattered  ship,  drifting  in  the  currents  of  treason  among 
the  reefs  where  lie  the  wrecks  of  other  republics?  A  few  shrewd  politi- 
cal men.  Why  did  they  choose  him?  They  had  their  reasons.  But 
God  chose  him  for  other  reasons.  When  Samuel  went  to  select  a  can- 
didate for  the  chief  magistracy  of  Israel,  he  had  no  knowledge  either  of 
what  the  times  would  demand  of  the  king,  or  of  what  was  in  the  several 
sons  of  Jesse  adapted  to  meet  the  demands  of  those  times.  There  was 
One  who  knew  both.     He  was  watching  over  Israel;  and  he  chose  the 

uncultivated  shepherd-boy The  same  hand  led  Mr.  Lincoln  to 

the  place  he  now  occupies.  We  needed  an  honest  man  at  the  helm ;  for 
there  had  been  a  lack  of  such;  a  man  of  penetrating  observation,  of  large 
views,  of  immovable  firmness,  of  genial  disposition,  and  of  sound  judg- 
ment. To-day  let  the  people  praise  the  Father  of  lights,  from  whom 
cometh  down  every  good  gift,  for  this  link  in  our  chain,  without  which 
it  might  have  failed  under  this  tremendous  strain." 

Again,  he  turned  to  those  who  under  Southern  skies  were 
bravely  carrying  on  the  sacred  work :  — 

"  Imagination  has  thus  been  aided  to  keep  every  camp  and  bivouac 
and  march  and  fight  vividly  in  view.  We  have  seen  and  suffered 
with  our  brothers  in  the  tedious  march  to  Newbern.  We  saw  them 
sleeping  in  the  rain;  freezing  in  the  night  at  Donelson;  cutting  through 
twelve  miles  of  swamp  at  Obion.  I  need  not  now  carry  back  your 
thoughts  to  the  hour  when  the  sound  of  victory  burst  on  our  ears  from 
Hatteras,  then  from  Port  Royal ;  and  so  onward  until  we  heard  from 
one  of  the  Gibraltars  of  the  South,  that  its  defenders  had  become  faint 
at  heart,  sent  out  the  flag  of  peace,  and  given  the  key  of  the  Middle 
Mississippi  back  to  its  rightful  owners. 

"  We  watched  them  with  trembling  as  they  planned  the  bold  scheme  of 
furnishing  General  Pope  a  transport,  by  passing  their  boat  across  the 
path  swept  by  the  enemy's  heaviest  artillery.  But  God  put  his  shield 
over  them,  and  led  them  safely  through.  Then  we  saw  the  army  of  the 
Union  landing  behind  the  intrenchments  to  cut  off  all  hope  of  retreat  for 
the  beleaguered  foe. 

"  And  just  below  that  point  we  saw  the  most  skillful  and  the  bravest  of 
the  leaders  of  the  traitors  make  their  well-concerted  attack  on  our  un- 
suspecting forces.  Awfully  rolls  the  tide  of  battle;  shock  on  shock 
against  the  small  party  of  the  army  yet  across  the  river.  Johnson  is 
there,  Beauregard  is  there,  Bragg  is  there;  Polk,  Hardee,  probably  Price 
and  Van  Dorn.  Yes,  but  God  is  there  too;  our  God,  to  whom  belongs 
the  victory.  Our  war  secretary  declares  that  he  hears  with  apprehen- 
sion so  much  said  about  '  military  combinations,  and  organizing  victory; ' 
a  cant  which  began  in  infidel  Paris,  and  ended  in  Waterloo.     He  de- 


296  LIFE   OF  EDWARD  NORMS   KIRK. 

mands,  '  Who  can  organize  victory  ?  Who  can  combine  the  elements  of 
success  in  the  battle-field  ?  We  owe  our  recent  victories  to  the  Spirit  of 
the  Lord,  that  moved  our  soldiers  to  rush  into  battle,  and  filled  the 
hearts  of  our  enemies  -with  terror  and  dismay.  The  inspiration  that 
conquered  in  battle  was  in  the  hearts  of  the  soldiers,  and  from  on  high; 
and  wherever  there  is  the  same  inspiration,  there  will  be  the  same  re- 
sults.' Probably  no  modern  army  had  before  heard  such  a  warning.  It 
is  a  step  forward." 

A  wish  long  entertained  to  visit  the  Army  of  the  Potomac 
was  gratified  in  April,  1862.  His  intimate  friend  and  pa- 
rishioner, the  Hon.  E.  S.  Tobey,  having  been  appointed  by 
Governor  Andrew  a  commissioner  on  harbor  defense  with 
Lieutenant-governor  Hayden,  invited  his  pastor  to  accom- 
pany them  on  a  visit  to  the  fleet  at  Hampton  Roads.  Secre- 
tary Stanton,  in  giving  them  passes  through  the  lines,  play- 
fully remarked  that  Dr.  Kirk  should  be  the  commission's 
chaplain.     And  such  he  was  all  the  way. 

He  closely  inspected  the  little  Monitor,  just  become  his- 
toric in  naval  warfare  after  her  successful  engagement  with 
the  Merrimac,  which  braggart  craft  had  been  compelled  to 
seek  shelter  from  the  "  cheese-box  "  in  the  harbor  of  Nor- 
folk. He  was  catechist  of  the  expedition  equally  with  his 
friends. 

Thence  to  the  army  of  General  McClellan  from  Cheese- 
man's  Landing,  riding  horseback  nine  miles  through  a  furious 
"  northeaster,"  over  deserted  plantations,  upon  a  road  ex- 
temporized by  the  army.  He  looked  upon  the  fortifications 
in  Yorktown,  three  days  before  the  Confederates  left  them 
to  the  Union  foi*ces.  He  saw  the  tented  acres  of  the  North- 
ern hosts.  He  addressed  and  prayed  with  all  of  the  soldiers 
he  could  meet.  He  for  the  first  time  learned  what  war 
means.  It  was  a  valuable  lesson.  The  map  in  his  study 
became  ever  afterwards  more  than  a  mere  chart ;  it  marked 
the  bivouacs  of  living  and  dying  men.  The  pictured  birds 
above  the  hills  seemed  to  him  frightened  by  the  flash  of  the 
muskets  below  them.  The  fifes  and  drums  in  the  streets 
of  Boston  were  reminders  of  drearier  scenes.  The  banners 
untorn  and  unstained  foretold  by  contrast  the  horrors  of  the 


THE   CIVIL  WAR.  297 

carnage  their  bearers  must  pass  through.     Sermons,  prayers, 
addresses,  — all  included  the  army. 

President  Lincoln  issued  his  proclamation  of  emancipation 
January  1,  1863.  Notwithstanding  the  slowness  with  which 
he  decided  to  take  this  step,  he  was  yet  far  in  advance  of 
the  people.  Prejudice  against  colored  soldiers  was  general. 
Men  were  glad  they  were  free,  yet  regarded  them  as  unfit 
for  recognition  as  citizens  or  soldiers.  In  an  address  in  the 
Old  South  Church,  May  28,  1863,  Dr.  Kirk  thus  referred  to 
the  despised  race :  — 

"  God  is  now  urging  the  negro's  claims  by  his  own  wonderful  processes. 
He  is  sweeping  away  prejudices  with  an  astonishing  rapidity.  Who 
could  have  anticipated  the  Divine  Wisdom  in  this?  The  white  man  must 
see  the  negro  fighting  for  liberty,  then  he  will  respect  him.  One  instance 
may  illustrate  the  process  now  going  forward.  When  the  negro  regiment 
was  hard  pressed  in  its  Florida  raid,  a  Connecticut  regiment  was  ordered 
from  Hilton  Head  to  go  and  reinforce  it.  The  order  was  received  by 
them  as  simply  ridiculous.  But  it  must  at  last  be  obeyed.  The  Con- 
necticut soldiers  reached  the  place  just  while  the  black  men  were  bravely 
contending  against  superior  numbers.  They  saw  there,  not  the  crouch- 
ing slave  planting  cotton  under  the  lash,  but  the  man  defending  his  man- 
hood and  his  country.  Their  prejudices  were  transformed  into  admira- 
tion. They  rushed  in  side  by  side  with  their  colored  brethren,  carried 
the  day,  and  came  out  of  the  fight  glorying  in  their  brave  companions  in 
arms.  They  returned  to  Hilton  Head  joyously  together.  And  when  they 
landed,  went  arm  in  arm  together  to  the  house  of  God. 

"  How  often  have  we  heard  the  exclamation  within  six  months,  '  My 
feelings  about  slavery  and  the  negro  are  all  changed!'  Thankful  may 
the  negro  be;  more  thankful  shall  we  be  when  God  shall  have  completed 
this  work  —  removing  the  prejudices  of  twenty  million  hearts  towards  an 
injured  race. 

"But,  can  the  negro  fight?  I  will  answer  that  inquiry  by  making  a 
little  catechism. 

"  When  Major  Pitcairn,  of  the  British  marines,  leaped  on  the  redoubt 
of  Bunker  Hill,  shouting,  '  The  day  is  ours,'  and  striking  terror  into  the 
colonial  troops,  who  sealed  those  lips  and  laid  the  invader  in  the  dust? 
Peter  Salem,  a  negro. 

"  When  the  struggling  colonies  were  contending  for  American  freedom 
at  Bunker  Hill,  who  stood  side  by  side  with  our  fathers?     The  negro. 

"  For  whom  did  the  principal  officers  in  that  fight  petition  the  general 
court  for  some  special  token  of  approbation,  describing  him  as  "  a  brave 
and  gallant  soldier  ?  '     Salem  Poor,  a  negro. 


298  LIFE   OF  EDWARD  NORMS   KIRK. 

"Whom  did  Samuel  Lawrence,  of  Groton,  one  of  our  noble  patriot 
ancestors,  lead  to  the  fight  of  Bunker  Hill?     A  company  of  negroes. 

"What  makes  his  grandson  so  zealous  a  friend  of  the  negro?  Be- 
cause he  is  true  to  the  sacred  memories  of  his  ancestor,  who  was  rescued 
from  extreme  peril  by  the  determined  bravery  of  this  same  company  of 
negroes. 

"Who,  before  our  degenerate  times,  in  the  days  of  true  patriotism, 
was  admitted  to  stand  in  the  ranks  with  the  white  man  ?     The  negro. 

"  What  Southern  State,  in  1775,  passed  an  order  for  enrolling  slaves 
as  military  laborers  ?     South  Carolina. 

"  Who  first  promised  freedom  to  all  slaves  who  would  join  the  British 
army?     A  British  nobleman,  Lord  Dunmore,  governor  of  Virginia. 

"  Was  the  proclamation  of  Lord  Dunmore  a  brutum  fulmen?  It  aroused 
the  whole  colony,  and  led  the  masters  to  promise  freedom  to  every  slave 
who  could  fight  that  would  stand  by  his  master. 

"  Who  seized  Major-general  Prescott,  chief  of  the  royal  army  of  New- 
port? Prince,  a  valiant  negro,  who  knocked  the  door  of  the  chamber 
open  with  his  head,  and  then  seized  his  victim  in  bed. 

"  Which  is  pronounced  the  best  fought  battle  of  the  Revolution?  The 
battle  of  Rhode  Island.  But  it  was  saved  to  us  by  a  negro  regiment  that 
three  times  repelled  the  Hessians  with  a  desolating  fire. 

"  When  was  Colonel  Greene  murdered  at  Point's  Bridge?  Not  until 
the  enemy  had  laid  his  negro  guard  all  dead  at  his  side. 

"  Why  were  vigorous  efforts  made,  in  the  war  with  George  III.,  to  en- 
list negroes  in  Georgia  and  South  Carolina  ?  Because  there  was  not 
patriotism  enough  in  the  whites  to  make  an  army  to  resist  the  enemy. 

"  What  did  General  Jackson  say  to  the  free  negroes  of  Louisiana  in 
September,  1814  ?  '  Through  a  mistaken  policy  you  have  heretofore 
been  deprived  of  a  participation  in  the  glorious  struggle  for  national 
rights.  This  no  longer  shall  exist.  As  sons  of  freedom,  you  are  now 
called  upon  to  defend  our  most  inestimable  blessings.'  In  December, 
1814,  in  another  proclamation  he  says  :  '  I  expected  much  from  you;  for 
I  was  not  uninformed  of  those  qualities  which  made  you  so  formidable 
to  an  invading  foe.  But  you  surpass  my  hopes.  I  have  found  united  in 
you  those  qualities,  —  that  noble  enthusiasm  which  impels  to  great 
deeds.' 

"  What  does  General  Saxton  think  of  the  negroes  as  soldiers,  laborers, 
and  men  ?  That  they  show  '  as  much  aptitude  as  the  white  soldier  ; 
and  properly  led,  they  will  do  as  efficient  service  in  battle.' 

"  God  is  now  removing  the  burdens  that  have  oppressed  this  people, 
and  the  barriers  that  kept  them  from  entering  the  domain  of  citizenship 
and  fellowship.  The  laws  against  teaching  the  negro  to  read  are  null 
and  void  on  the  whole  Southern  coast,  and  in  at  least  three  slave  States. 
The  political  power  of  slave-holding  is  now  destroyed,  never  to  be  recov- 


THE   CIVIL   WAR.  299 

ered.  God,  indeed,  is  threatening  to  extinguish  the  '  peculiar  institu- 
tion,' bringing  on  the  accomplishment  of  Washington's  desire,  '  to  see  a 
plan  adopted  by  which  slavery  in  this  country  might  be  abolished;  '  not, 
however,  '  by  law,'  as  he  desired,  but  against  unrighteous  legislation. 

"  What,  then,  are  we  to  do  ?  Supply  the  lack  of  action  of  our  gov- 
ernment wherever,  for  want  of  time  to  attend  to  it,  they  must  neglect 
any  interest.  We  must  organize  a  protective  system  for  this  poor  peo- 
ple emerging  from  a  degrading  position.  Their  rights  must  be  vigilantly 
guarded  by  a  wise  supervision.  Their  indigent,  infirm,  adults  and  infants, 
must  be  brought  under  a  Christian  guardianship.  There  must  be  a 
clothing  the  naked,  feeding  the  hungry,  healing  the  sick.  There  must 
be  an  industrial  organization  ;  providing  farms  and  workshops,  and  in- 
struments and  seeds  ;  starting  them  on  a  new  career  of  a  fair  competi- 
tion of  industry  and  skill  with  their  white  brethren.  There  must  be 
educational  organizations,  bringing  up  the  enslaved  mind  out  of  Egypt 
into  the  land  of  promise.  They  are  eager  to  learn,  apt  to  learn.  They 
must  be  taught  order,  cleanliness,  system,  domestic  economy.  The 
better  class  of  minds  must  have  the  wide  door  of  literature,  history, 
science,  and  statesmanship  opened  to  them.  There  must  be  a  thorough 
spiritual  supervision  of  them  until  they  can  organize  their  own  churches 
and  sustain  their  own  pastors. 

"  This  we  must  do  for  Christ's  sake.  He  loves  the  African  ;  He  died 
for  him,  and  will  welcome  him  to  the  same  heaven  to  which  we  are  going. 
This  we  must  do  for  our  country's  sake.  The  body  politic  cannot  any 
longer  bear  to  have  such  a  gangrene  of  ignorance,  animalism,  and  con- 
cubinage festering  within  it.  This  we  must  do  for  the  world's  sake. 
The  barbarism  of  the  United  States  as  it  was  before  the  month  of  April, 
1861,  must  now  pass  away  forever.  This  we  must  do  for  our  own  sakes. 
The  day  is  coming  when  the  Lord  will  say  :  '  I  was  naked,  I  was  hun- 
gry, I  was  ignorant.  Come,  ye  blessed,  who  pitied  and  relieved  me. 
Depart,  ye  cursed,  who  despised  me  because  I  was  not  fair-skinned.'  " 

Dr.  Kirk's  frequent  visits  to  the  various  camps  around 
Boston  were  always  welcomed.  Fortunately  among  liis 
papers  is  an  early  address  to  those  who  had  enlisted  :  — 

"  Citizen  Soldiers,  —  I  congratulate  you  that  your  patriotism  can 
take  on  a  practical  form.  Mine,  at  present,  must  express  itself  in  words; 
you  lay  your  lives  on  your  country's  altar.  I  congratulate  you,  that, 
while  you  are  under  military  rule  which  must  secure  absolute  submission 
to  one  controlling  will,  it  is  not  as  slaves  or  as  machines.  In  the  present 
case,  the  cau;-e  of  the  rulers  is  the  cause  of  the  people  —  of  God.  You 
are  sovereigns  contending  for  the  sceptre  intrusted  to  your  hands  by  the 
King  of  kin^s. 


300  LIFE   OF  EDWARD  NORMS   KIRK. 

"Asa  minister  of  Christ's  gospel  of  peace,  I  am  free  to  encourage  you 
in  your  present  course.  I  could  not,  if  it  were  merely  to  avenge  insult- 
ing words,  or  to  show  our  military  power  to  a  world  that  seems  to  have 
held  it  in  light  esteem.  I  could  not  encourage  you  to  go  even  to  give 
freedom  to  four  million  souls  and  their  forty  million  descendants.  But 
you  are  now  an  arm  (not  an  instrument,  but  an  arm)  of  government. 
You  are  the  sword  of  the  magistrate,  which  God,  an  apostle  declares, 
places  in  his  hand  '  not  in  vain,'  not  for  holiday  parades,  but  to  strike 
death-blows.  You  are  God's  instrument,  'a  minister  of  God,  a  revenger 
to  execute  wrath  upon  him  that  doeth  evil.'  You  are  the  arm  of  govern- 
ment, protecting  itself,  punishing  treason,  defending  a  continent  from 
anarchy  and  tyranny. 

"  Never  was  an  army  surrounded  with  more  Christian  sympathy. 
Not  only  your  godly  fathers  and  mothers,  wives  and  sisters,  pastors  and 
friends,  are  praying  for  you  continually;  the  whole  Northern  church  is 
bowed  on  her  face  before  the  Eternal  God  on  your  behalf. 

"  Believe  me,  our  hearts  throw  the  cords  of  their  tenderest  sympathy 
as  a  girdle  around  you.  Your  march,  your  bivouac,  will  be  traced  by 
ten  million  fingers  on  the  map.  Virginia  will  be  the  centre  where  twenty 
million  hearts  will  meet.  Your  perils,  your  battles,  your  victories,  will 
move  the  heart  of  a  nation  as  of  one  friend  or  brother. 

"  Be  cheerful,  for  you  are  engaged  in  a  glorious  cause.  Be  serious, 
for  it  is  a  serious  work  before  you.  Above  all,  be  Christians  ;  for  that 
is  man's  first  duty. 

"  And  to  help  you  to  become  believers  in  our  blessed  Redeemer,  with 
a  living,  practical  soul-transforming  faith,  our  generous  and  patriotic 
neighbor,  Mr.  H.,  has  furnished  this  parcel  of  little  religious  books, 
which  I  have  now  the  privilege  of  distributing  to  you. 

"  And  suffer  me,  your  brother,  to  give  you  a  word  of  counsel,  as  sol- 
diers and  as  men.  A  soldier  must  be  a  gentleman  that  respects  himself; 
that  loves  his  country  and  her  banner  ;  prompt  to  obey  every  military 
rule  ;  patient  in  toil  and  privation;  holding  his  life  too  precious  to  throw 
away  rashly,  and  the  triumph  of  his  cause  more  precious  than  his  life. 
He  should  promote  temperance,  purity,  cheerfulness,  and  good-will  in 
the  camp.  He  should  be  a  Christian  gentleman,  a  man  prepared  to  live 
usefully,  ready  to  die  ;  for  his  work  lies  on  the  confines  of  death. 

"  May  you  return  from  the  strife  to  meet  the  welcome  of  your  friends, 
and  the  gratitude  of  your  country.  May  we  celebrate  the  freedom  of  a 
continent,  secured  on  the  4th  of  July,  1862.  May  we  meet  in  heaven, 
to  celebrate  an  eternal  triumph  under  our  great  Leader." 

In  the  spring  of  1864  another  opportunity  was  presented 
of  visiting  the  army.  The  request  came  from  the  members 
of  the  Christian  Commission. 


THE   CIVIL   WAR.  301 

This  organization  was  formed  in  the  earliest  period  of  the 
war  by  a  convention  of  the  Young  Men's  Christian  Associa- 
tions of  the  United  States,  held  in  New  York,  in  the  church 
of  the  Rev.  Dr.  Tyng,  senior.  Its  avowed  purpose  was  "  to 
extend  material  aid  and  to  minister  to  the  spiritual  needs  of 
the  army."  Mr.  George  H.  Stuart,  of  Philadelphia,  was 
chosen  its  president.  All  the  Young  Men's  Christian  As- 
sociations of  the  country,  true  to  their  indomitable  energy 
and  far-sightedness,  were  in  the  fullest  sympathy  with  the 
organization,  and  cooperated  with  it  through  committees  of 
their  own  appointment. 

Prior  to  this  organization,  the  Boston  Tract  Society  — 
formed  to  meet  the  exigencies  which  the  parent  society  had 
failed  to  meet  —  had  commenced  its  work  of  furnishing  read- 
ing-matter for  the  soldiers.  Dr.  Kirk,  as  its  president,  was 
naturally  in  the  deepest  sympathy  with  its  work,  and  believed 
in  extending  the  field  of  its  operations.  He  was  prepared, 
however,  to  engage  in  the  kindred  work  of  the  commission. 
The  delegation  of  the  commission  consisted  of  eight  repre- 
sentatives, from  Boston,  Providence,  New  York,  and  Phil- 
adelphia. 

This  was  doubtless  one  of  the  most  deeply  interesting 
experiences  in  the  whole  public  life  of  Dr.  Kirk,  bringing 
him  as  it  did  into  such  intimate  relations  to  the  spiritual 
work  among  the  soldiers.  The  party  proceeded  at  once 
from  Washington  to  the  Army  of  the  Potomac.  The  simple 
badge  of  the  commission  was  itself  a  free  pass  to  any  part 
of  the  army.  Even  their  baggage  was  exempt  from  exam- 
ination. The  time  of  their  visit  was  only  a  few  weeks  be- 
fore the  advance  of  General  Grant  upon  Richmond.  General 
Meade  was  at  Brandy  Station,  and  there  the  commission  had 
fixed  their  tent.  "  It  is  a  church  in  a  camp.  Its  steeple  is 
a  white  banner  bearing  its  simple  name.  It  represents 
Christ  and  the  gospel.  Men  who  desire  religious  instruction 
and  direction  naturally  flock  thither." 

The  chaplains  welcomed  the  faithful  workers.  "  Indeed, 
it  is  obvious  that  the  office  of  chaplain  has  received  a  new 


SO 2  LIFE   OF  EDWARD   NORRIS   KIEK. 

ralue  and  efficiency  from  this  agency.  The  first  impression 
it  makes  is  that  the  religious  interests  of  the  soldier  are  re- 
garded by  the  churches  as  of  supreme  importance.  The 
chaplaincy  is  a  civil  affair,  a  formal  appointment ;  the  com- 
mission is  a  heart-expression." 

"Bravdt  Statiox.  Yiegixia.  Aprils.  1S64. 

••  My  peak  Sisters.  — Here  we  are.  after  some  inconveniences,  but 
much  interested  in  our  visit  to  the  camps  around  Washington. 

••  Yesterday  morning  we  were  all  in  a  tent  of  the  Christian  Commis- 
sion, -when  the  colonel  in  command  of  the  post  came  in.  He  has  just 
been  converted.  I  talked  to  him  in  presence  of  our  'whole  company. 
His  replies  to  my  inquiries  subdued  every  heart.  A  Unitarian  gentle- 
man from  Boston  is  with  us.  He  was  very  much  affected  at  that  specta- 
cle :  especially  when  we  bowed  toscether  in  prayer,  and  then  arose  and 
sang  •  Crown  Him  Lord  of  all. J  The  meeting  in  the  evening  with  a  thou- 
sand soldiers  was  very  interesting. 

••  This  morning  we  came  by  rail  through  Bull  Bun.  Manassas.  Bealton. 
etc.,  etc..  to  Brandy  Station.  Our  plans  are  a  little  uncertain  yet.  I 
am  well,  and  doing  well.  Tour  affectionate  brother. 

"Edward  X.  Kirk." 

Sunday.  April  10th.  came  in  without  a  cloud.  Veterans 
who  had  made  the  terrible  history  of  Fredericksburg,  Chan- 
cellorsTille,  Gettysburg,  and  who  had  tramped  the  banks 
of  the  Potomac  and  the  Rapidan,  were  resting  from  their 
daily  burdens.  The  deep  stillness  of  the  day  was  broken 
only  by  an  occasional  reminder  of  the  impending  battles 
from  artillery  hoarsely  roaring  its  mission  of  death. 

••  We  went."  wrote  Dr.  Kirk.  "  to  General  Meade's  head- 
quarters, and  to  the  chapel  of  the  Christian  Commission.  A 
large  part  of  the  audience  consisted  of  officers.  Its  intelli- 
gence and  attention  stimulated  and  concentrated  my  powers. 
I  had  slept  imperfectly  on  Saturday  night,  but  grace  enabled 
me  to  preach  with  directness.  General  Meade  invited  me 
to  stay  with  him.  In  the  afternoon,  I  held  a  meeting  in  the 
chapel  at  the  station,  —  well  attended.  Four  remained  for 
personal  conversation.  In  the  evening,  another  meeting  in 
the  chapel.  It  was  full.  Two  aged  negroes  came  to  see  us. 
They  are  religious  leaders,  and  eminently  taught  of  the 
Spirit."' 


THE   CIVIL   WAR.  303 

During  the  week  the  delegation  visited  the  residence  of 
the  Hon.  John  Minor  Botts,  supposed  to  be  a  Unionist, 
although  he  declined  to  take  the  oath  of  allegiance  ;  not, 
however,  because  he  was  not  in  full  sympathy  with  the 
Union  cause.  On  account  of  his  Union  sentiments.  Mr.  Botts 
had  been  imprisoned  in  Richmond  by  Jefferson  Dans.  It 
was  a  memorable  meeting  —  that  of  the  little  company  of 
ten  or  twelve  in  his  parlor  —  with  one  who  had  held  so  high 
a  position  in  the  politics  of  Virginia.  "  An  interview,"  said 
Dr.  Kirk,  "  full  of  intense  interest.  He  read  us  a  letter 
giving  his  opinions  of  Mr.  Lincoln  and  his  administration. 
It  was  candid,  eloquent,  instructive,  powerful.  I  dissented 
from  a  few  of  his  views,  but  it  was  a  noble  document.  I 
left  him  very  reluctantly.  He  spoke  of  his  *  History  of  the 
War ; '  of  which  he  said,  '  No  Northern  man  can  write  it. 
southern  man,  except  myself,  who  could,  would  write 
it."  " 

In  this  statement  Mr.  Botts  remarked  that  it  was  claimed 
by  the  Confederates  to  be  their  purpose  to  set  up  a  separate 
government,  but  that  this  was  not  the  fact ;  it  was  their 
purpose  to  seize  upon  the  capital  and  archives  of  the  nation 
and  thereby  obtain  possession  of  the  entire  government  of 
the  United  States :  "  A  crime  against  the  human  family,  I 
say  it  reverently.*"  Mr.  Botts  exclaimed,  "  not  equaled  since 
the  crucifixion  of  our  Saviour." 

No  one  of  that  little  company  can  ever  forget  the  inter- 
view. It  was  fitting  that  Mr.  Stuart  should  delicately  sug- 
gest that  the  war-preacher  of  Boston  should  lead  them  in 
prayer.  Eves  accustomed  to  scenes  of  distress  were  suffused 
with  tears  while  their  leader  with  rapt  devotion  commended 
those  present,  but  especially  their  host,  to  the  kind  protec- 
tion of  the  God  of  all  truth. 

The  church  at  Culpepper  Court  House,  near  the  head- 
quarters of  General  Grant,  was  likewise  occupied  by  the 
commission.  The  body  of  the  house  was  used  for  the  daily 
prayer-meetings  of  the  soldiers.  The  galleries  served  as 
sleeping-rooms  for   the  Christian   workers.     Day  after  day 


S04  LIFE   OF  EDWARD  NOERIS  KIEK. 

the  house  was  crowded  with  the  "boys  in  blue."  It  was  an 
inspiring  scene,  deepened  in  intensity  by  their  rendering  in 
grand  chorus  the  songs  so  often  sung  at  home,  "  Nearer,  my 
God,  to  thee,"  "  Shining  Shore,"  etc.  This  was  only  four- 
teen days  previous  to  the  march  across  the  Rapidan,  at  the 
end  of  which  journey  of  death  many  joined  the  chorus  of  the 
redeemed. 

They  prayed  to  be  ready  for  the  hour  which  should  call 
them  hence.  They  spoke  of  their  hope  and  of  their  friends 
at  home.  No  moments  were  wasted  there.  Few  meetings 
like  those! 

These  Christian  workers  rode  from  place  to  place  on  horse- 
back until  they  came  to  Pony  Mountain,  the  outer  signal- 
station  of  the  army,  whence  the  fortifications  of  the  Confed- 
erate army  could  be  distinctly  seen  across  the  Rapidan.  At 
this  high  point  of  special  interest  the  delegation  united  in 
prayer  with  Dr.  Kirk,  —  prayer  for  the  country  and  its  ene- 
mies. 

"  We  rode  out  to  a  good  point  of  observation,  where  we  could  see  the 
rebel  and  Union  armies.     On  our  way,  we  came  to  a  battery  commanded 

by  Captain ,  who  heard  we  were  in  Culpepper,  and  whose  life  had 

been  in  great  measure  saved  by  the  Christian  Commission  at  Gettysburg, 
and  he  arranged  at  once  for  a  special  artillery  drill  for  us,  —  a  thing  not 
often  seen  in  the  army. 

"  I  sat  in  my  saddle.  I  found  that  General  Stuart  (George  H.  Stuart), 
knowing  that  I  could  not  get  out  of  the  saddle,  had  by  some  manoeuvre 
brought  me  right  in  face  of  the  men,  and  my  orders  were  that  I  should 
preiich  to  the  men  from  the  saddle.  Having  preached  to  them,  and 
prayed  with  them,  an  inquiry  meeting  was  appointed  on  the  field  of  drill. 
One  anxious  man  came  out  from  the  drill  lines  to  talk  to  me  about  his 
soul,  and  no  officer  restricted  him! 

"  When  I  began  to  talk  to  the  men,  a  large  number  were  behind  me, 
pitching  quoits  and  frolicking  on  their  playground.  But  they  came 
pressing  up;  and,  looking  behind  me,  I  saw  I  was  surrounded  by  earnest, 
eager  men,  solemnly  listening  to  what  I  had  to  say  about  Jesus  and  the 
great  salvation. 

"  /  have  seen  a  good  deal  of  the  world,  of  the  church,  of  revivals  and 
religious  operations,  but  this  is  something  peculiar  in  the  history  of  the  world 
and  the  church." 


THE   CIVIL   WAR.  305 

Returning  to  Brandy  Station,  and  thence  to  the  camps  in 
and  around  Washington,  they  visited  regiment  after  regi- 
ment and  every  hospital.  Leaving  one  of  the  most  memo- 
rable of  these,  that  at  Camp  Convalescent,  about  ten  o'clock 
at  night,  they  were  told  a  password.  Mr.  Stuart  was  in- 
trusted with  the  secret.  Upon  being  challenged  by  the 
first  sentinel,  Mr.  S.  gave  the  word, — given  by  mistake  at 
the  camp.  "  I  know  you,  Mr.  Stuart,"  said  the  sentinel, 
"  but  you  must  return  immediately  to  the  camp  for  the  true 
password." 

The  time  was  impressive,  as  they  passed  in  the  darkness 
for  several  miles  over  muddy  roads,  challenged  constantly  by 
the  faithful  sentinels  upon  their  watch.  The  talismanic 
word  on  the  Potomac  that  night  was  "  Massachusetts,"  the 
name  which  during  the  long  struggle  cheered  many  a  weary 
heart. 

The  result  of  the  war  depended  upon  two  great  conditions, 
—  the  success  of  the  Union  army  and  a  strong  public  senti- 
ment in  the  North.  The  year  1864  opened  upon  a  critical 
situation.  The  Army  of  the  Potomac  was  no  nearer  Rich- 
mond than  at  the  beginning  of  the  war.  One  general  after 
another  had  failed.  On  the  first  day  of  March  General 
Grant  had  been  placed  in  command  of  all  the  armies.  The 
terrible  battles  in  the  Wilderness,  at  Cold  Harbor,  and  at 
Winchester,  notwithstanding  the  encouragement  they  gave, 
still  left  a  disheartened  feeling  at  the  North.  The  terror 
struck  by  Forrest's  raid  through  Tennessee  and  Kentucky, 
was  felt  in  States  far  northward.  Fort  Pillow  and  its  butch- 
ery only  deepened  the  Northern  distrust.  Sherman  had  not 
begun  his  march  to  the  sea ;  and  the  victory  of  the  Potomac 
army  was  not  yet  assured. 

In  such  a  year,  and  amidst  a  growing  despondency,  the 
two  great  political  parties  were  engaged  in  the  presidential 
struggle.  It  was  proposed  by  the  Democratic  party  to  elect 
General  McClellan,  whom  they  nominated  in  the  hope  of 
changing  the  whole  machinery  of  government,  and  thus  in- 
flicting untold  delays  upon  the  success  of  our  arms.  No  one 
20 


306  LIFE   OF   EDWARD   NORRIS   KIRK. 

could  tell  how  wide-spread  the  distrust  of  the  people  had 
become.  Politics,  for  the  first  time  in  nearly  a  century, 
seemed  to  have  become  sacred.  Ward-meetings  and  caucuses 
laid  a  new  claim  upon  every  loyal  citizen. 

The  Mount  Vernon  pastor  entered  the  campaign,  giving 
the  strength  of  his  intellect  and  rhetoric  to  the  republican 
cause.  His  were  no  doubtful  words.  He  criticised  men  and 
parties  with  the  vigor  of  youth.  He  believed  that  the  party 
which  had  borne  the  brunt  of  the  conflict  before  the  war, 
and  under  whose  administration  the  war  had  been  carried 
on,  was  upon  the  side  of  righteousness  ;  and  that,  as  a 
preacher  of  righteousness,  he  was  as  truly  concerned  in  poli- 
tics as  in  the  other  duties  of  his  profession. 

His  first  campaign  speech  was  made  in  a  meeting  held  in 
the  Sixth  Ward  of  the  city  of  Boston.  Having  been  unex- 
pectedly "  called  out,"  he  made  one  of  his  characteristic  and 
stirring  appeals  in  behalf  of  the  Union.  This  led  to  re- 
peated invitations  to  speak  in  other  places,  —  invitations 
which  he  not  unfrequently  accepted.  The  following  are  ex- 
tracts from  his  "  stump  speeches :  "  — 

"  It  becomes  every  person,  be  his  profession  or  position  what  it  may, 
who  by  either  speech  or  action  can  throw  one  ray  of  light  on  his  country's 
troubled  path,  or  one  grain  of  influence  into  the  scale  which  holds  her 
honor  and  her  welfare,  not  to  withhold    such  words  or  deeds. 

"  Every  one  should  speak,  write,  labor,  pray  for  his  imperiled  country, 
for  the  dearest  interests  pertaining  to  this  earthly  life.  We  should  labor 
to  show,  especially  to  every  one  entitled  to  vote,  that  voting  at  such  a  time 
is  one  of  the  most  serious  acts  of  his  life ;  that  he  is  now  approaching  the 
most  solemn  and  important  exercise  of  that  grand  political  function, 
the  right  of  suffrage,  ever  demanded  of  a  citizen  since  the  federal  govern- 
ment was  founded.  I  am  here  to-night  to  do  my  humble  part  in  this 
patriotic  and  Christian  work. 

"  Two  men  are  the  candidates  for  that  post  which  an  archangel  ought 
not  to  be  willing  now  to  assume  unless  God  commissioned  him.  No  hu- 
man mind  can  measure  the  interests  intrusted  to  that  office  at  such  a  time. 
But  the  men,  however  important  in  themselves,  are  chiefly  so  because  of 
the  policies  they  respectively  represent  and  adopt  for  their  official  guid- 
ance.   My  remarks  will  therefore  be  directed  mainly  to  this  topic 

"  You  have  said,    '  The  war  should   be   abandoned  from  prudential 


THE   CIVIL   WAR.  307 

considerations;  prudence  demands  a  cessation  of  hostilities.'  Does  it V 
'A  prudent  man  foreseeth  the  evil,  and  hideth  himself.'  That  is,  if  he 
sees  a  bear  about  to  attack  him  in  front,  and  no  way  of  escape  but  through 
a  cold,  swift  stream,  prudence  tells  him  to  take  to  the  water.  Here  are 
two  evils:  fighting  these  men,  and  giving  them  a  respite  just  when  they 
are  almost  subdued,  that  they  may  attack  us  under  a  new  condition  of 
things  when  they  can  carry  their  point  more  surely. 

"  Gentlemen,  do  you  not  know  the  men  of  the  South?  I  do.  I  have 
such  knowledge  of  them,  that  I  never  would  trust  the  leaders  of  this 
rebellion  with  anything  I  prized  if  they  wanted  it.  They  would  have  it, 
or  something  I  held  still  dearer,  if  force  and  fraud  could  get  it.  Charles 
Sumner  went  down  to  Jericho  once,  among  them.  They  are  no  worse  by 
nature  than  we.  You  know  we  Orthodox  believe  in  total  depravity,  and 
this  war  is  remarkably  orthodox  :  it  is  full  of  the  old  Puritan  spirit  and 
tone.  Slavery,  however,  has  taken  hold  of  the  original  virus  and  Satan 
has  had  things  there  much  his  own  way. 

"  There  are  two  evils  in  this  case.  One  is,  that  of  bloody  fighting  and 
conquering  these  men,  the  other  is,  yielding  to  them.  And  the  question 
is,  Which  is  most  prudent?  '  Yield,  because  the  war  is  a  failure.'  What 
do  you  mean  by  failure?  They  had,  when  the  war  began,  1,053,852 
square  miles  under  their  control,  in  ten  States  and  Territories.  They 
now  have  342,608  square  miles,  having  lost  1,311,184  square  miles. 
Would  that  be  called  failure  in  State  Street?  They  had  12,121,234 
people  in  their  confederacy.  They  now  have  4,458,232,  having  lost 
7,603,002.  Is  that  a  failure?  One  of  two  things  must  be  true  :  either 
the  war  is  subduing  them,  and  they  are  tired  of  it  ;  or,  it  is  a  failure, 
and  their  purposes  are  unchanged.  Are  they  changed  ?  What  then  has 
changed  them?  If  they  are  not  changed,  your  negotiations  will  be 
spurned  as  they  always  have  been.  Can  anything  be  more  puerile  and 
unstatesmanlike  than  a  proposal  for  armistice  with  an  enemy  that  has 
just  as  much  reason  for  fighting  as  at  the  beginning,  and  altogether  more 
encouragement?"  .... 

"The  third  objection  to  our  policy  is,  that  war  is  against  the  spirit  of 
Christianity.  I  have  need  of  but  few  words  to  show  that  it  is  a  Christian 
duty  to  prosecute  this  war  to  the  point  of  victory,  —  complete.  I  interpret  the 
passage :  The  powers  that  be  are  ordained  of  God,  as  all  sound  commentators 
do,  to  mean,  Government  is  a  corporation  for  the  maintenance  of  peace 
and  the  prosperity  of  mankind,  which  God  has  ordained,  and  to  it  He  has 
intrusted  physical  power,  including  an  armed  police,  called  here  'the 
sword,'  to  defend  individuals  and  the  government.  Christianity  is  the 
pillar  of  every  civilized  society  ;  and  it  has  no  arguments,  motives,  or  in- 
fluences which  oppose  defensive  wars. 

"  War  is  not  necessarily  unchristian.  Christ  is  the  founder  of  every 
civilized  nation,  and  Christianity  is  the  pillar  of  every  Christian  govern- 


308  LITE   OF  EDWARD   NORMS   KIRK. 

ment.  But  what  is  government?  It  is  power  organized  to  protect  the 
order  of  society  and  the  rights  of  individuals.  '  Obey  the  powers  that 
be,'  is  a  command  of  Christ.  The  magistrate  has  a  sword  from  God,  is 
the  teaching  of  the  Bible,  —  a  sword  to  be  used  when  the  order  of  society 
is  invaded.  The  sword  means  monitors,  fifteen-inch  guns,  bayonets,  and 
every  instrument  that  an  organized  army  and  navy  can  employ  to  dis- 
organize the  opposing  army. 

"  The  spirit  of  Christianity  is  a  meek,  gentle,  forbearing,  forgiving 
temper,  that  avenges  no  private  and  personal  wrongs,  that  incites  to 
every  generous  and  self-sacrificing  labor  to  secure  to  every  man  eternal 
well-being.  But  there  is  nothing  pusillanimous  or  cowardly  in  it  ;  man 
is  not  unmanned,  but  exalted  by  its  influence.  It  is  no  hiding-place  for 
men  that  count  their  gold,  their  party,  their  lives  more  precious  than  the 
welfare  of  society.  Where  Christianity  flourishes,  you  find  men  whom 
tyrants  fear.  Cromwell  and  Knox  were  terrible  to  those  of  their  day. 
Macaulay  says  the  Puritan  could  whine  over  his  sins  in  his  closet,  and 
come  out  to  tread  on  the  necks  of  kings  and  cut  off  the  heads  of  royal 
murderers.".     .     .     . 

"Turn  now  to  the  Chicago  Platform.  It  is  a  wonderful  document, 
and  destined  to  an  immortality  —  of  infamy.  It  will  be,  hereafter,  the 
conspirator's  text-book.  There  is  nothing  heroic,  nothing  patriotic, 
nothing  even  manly,  in  its  tone.  It  is  as  wicked  and  mean  in  what  it 
omits  as  in  what  it  affirms.  In  a  political  address  to  the  world  from  a 
great  body  of  citizens,  at  the  very  hour  when  the  honor  and  life  of  the 
nation  is  threatened,  there  is  found  not  one  word  that  condemns  rebel- 
lion, not  one  word  of  censure  or  even  disajiproval  of  the  plots,  designs,  and 
most  villainous  deeds  of  the  rebels;  not  a  word  in  favor  of  the  nation; 
not  a  cheer  to  its  heart  as  it  struggles  to  throw  off  the  vipers  attempting  to 
strangle  and  sting  it  to  death ;  not  a  word  encouraging  the  magistrate  to 
use  the  sword  that  God  placed  in  his  hand  to  punish  the  wicked  !  Amid 
their  negations  and  scandalous  abuse  of  the  administration,  what  do  they 
affirm  and  what  propose?  They  affirm  that  the  war  on  our  part  was 
an  experiment,  leaving  the  false  impression  that  the  government  has  been 
trying  a  cruel  experiment  of  murder  on  a  loyal  and  unoffending  people. 
They  affirm  that  our  self-defense  is  a  failure,  while  the  attack  on  Fort 
Sumter  is  neither  a  cruel  experiment  nor  a  failure.  The  rebels,  we  must 
infer,  have  not  failed,  though  they  have  lost  1,300,000  square  miles  of 
the  territory  they  claimed  and  seized,  and  7,700,000  of  their  population; 
though  they  have  retreated  and  retreated  until  their  shattered  army  is 
shut  up  mainly  in  four  fortresses. 

"  The  war,  they  say,  must  cease  immediately.  Yet  they  throw  a  sop  to 
Cerberus,  and  declare  that  the  Union  must  be  preserved.  But  mark  it, 
not  by  conquest.  It  is,  then,  by  compromise.  Who  that  loves  his 
country  can  bear  to  look  at  this  document  as  an  exponent  of  the  senti- 
ments of  a  noble  nation  in  the  presence  of  an  almost  conquered  enemy? 


THE   CIVIL  WAR.  309 

"  Take  a  copy  of  it  to  Richmond.  No,  that  is  needless.  Its  birth 
was  probably  there,  before  it  traveled  to  Chicago.  Has  it  made  a  single 
rebel  tremble  before  the  rebukes  of  an  outraged  and  indignant  people  ? 
Has  it  caused  one  of  them  to  repent  of  his  wickedness  ?  Has  it  raised 
the  mud-sills  a  hair-breadth  in  their  estimation?  Read  it  to  their  armed 
hosts:  what  would  be  its  effect?  Contempt  for  its  authors,  and  hope 
for  their  own  cause.  Listen  to  Alexander  Stephens:  he  declares  that  it 
comforts  his  heart  made  sad  by  the  rude  manners  of  Grant  and  Sher- 
man. Read  it  along  our  lines,  where  brave  and  suffering  men  are  de- 
fending their  country  and  its  honor  at  any  cost :  it  will  either  paralyze 
or  exasperate  every  man  who  has  gone  there  to  serve  and  save  his 
country."   .... 

"What  is  a  democrat?  A  man  who  believes  that  a  man  is  a  man 
wherever  he  was  born,  wboever  his  father  was,  whether  he  wears  black 
cloth  or  bear-skins,  whether  his  nose  is  long  or  short,  his  hair  crisped  or 
curled  or  smooth;  that  he  has  a  right  to  all  the  fruits  of  his  labor.  What 
is  a  democrat  ?  If  he  is  an  Irishman,  he  believes  that  the  English  aris- 
tocracy grind  the  poor  Irish  to  the  dust;  and  therefore  he  flees  to  a 
country  where  there  is  no  hereditary  aristocracy,  and  where  poor  white 
men  or  poor  black  men  have  elbow-room,  a  fair  chance,  an  even  start  in 
the  race  of  life,  the  ballot  in  their  hands,  representation  going  with  tax- 
ation, public  schools  open  for  all  their  children,  the  pathway  to  offices  of 
honor  and  trust  open  to  merit,  and  not  to  complexion  nor  inherited  titles. 

"John  C.  Calhoun  a  democrat!  Jefferson  Davis  a  democrat  1  Is  it 
not  monstrous?  Is  not  the  definition  of  man  once  given  well  given:  '  The 
most  gullible  of  animals?  ' 

"John  Slidell  a  democrat!  My  fellow-citizens  of  the  so-called  Dem- 
ocratic party,  let  me  remonstrate  with  you.  Let  me  entreat  you  for  the 
honor  of  one  common  humanity,  to  cut  your  eye  teeth.  A  democrat  ab- 
hors any  other  aristocracy  than  that  of  merit.  But  what  is  John  Slidell, 
who  calls  you  mud-sills,  and  despises  your  greasy  hands  ?  I  will  tell  you. 
He  is  one  of  the  grandees  of  the  new  Celestial  empire,  that  is  to  counter- 
poise the  globe  on  this  side  against  China  on  the  other. 

"  Now,  what  has  this  to  do  with  the  question  of  compromise  before 
us?  Much,  everyway.  If  George  B.  McClellan  becomes  President  of 
the  United  States  in  1865,  the  republic  expires.  Mason,  Davis,  Slidell, 
Lee,  &  Co.  become  masters  of  the  White  House,  and  the  grand  scheme 
for  orders  of  nobility,  the  enthronement  of  Cotton  and  Capital,  and  the 
enslavement  of  Labor,  white  as  well  as  black,  will  take  place;  and  you, 
Irishmen  and  Germans,  who  fled  from  an  aristocracy  at  home  to  vote  into 
power  an  aristocracy  in  the  only  strong  republic  of  the  world,  will  have 
finished  your  mission  on  earth,  and  extinguished  the  last  hope  of  the 
groaning  millions  you  left  behind  you. 

"  God  forbid  I  should  utter  such  things  to  carry  a  party  vote.     Credit 


310  LIFE   OF  EDWARD  NORMS   KIRK. 

me  on  these  two  points:  I  now  express  what  I  believe  in  my  inmost  soul, 
and  my  belief  is  founded  on  a  knowledge  of  facts  and  men. 

"  I  know  not  merely  what  Northern  men  have  said,  but  what  Southern 
men  think  and  feel  and  intend.  I  know  why  Lord  Shaftesbury  sympa- 
thizes with  the  rebels,  why  the  "  Times"  thunders  its  thundering  lies, 
why  Palmerston  and  Napoleon  are  watching  their  chance.  Gentlemen, 
these  are  serious  times.  If  you  want  an  honest  pilot,  elect  Abraham 
Lincoln.  If  you  want  a  man  who  is  master  of  the  whole  position,  the 
man  who  has  sufficient  grasp  of  thought  and  knowledge  of  American 
politics  to  overthrow  the  Little  Giant,  first  read  the  debates  of  Lincoln 
and  Douglas  in  1858,  and  then  vote  for  Abraham  Lincoln.  If  you  want 
a  magnanimous,  fair,  kind-hearted  democrat,  who  once  split  rails  and 
boated  on  the  Ohio,  and  who  declared  '  It  really  hurts  me  very  much  to 
suppose  that  I  have  wronged  anybody  upon  earth;  '  if  you  want  a  gen- 
uine democrat,  who  said  in  debating  with  Mr.  Douglas,  and  while 
utterly  demolishing  his  logic,  '  I  have  a  rough  exterior,  and  but  little  edu- 
cation, but  I  know  what  belongs  to  the  inside  of  a  gentleman; '  vote  for 
Abraham  Lincoln.  If  you  want  a  man  who  has  conscientiously  governed 
his  public  action  by  the  Constitution,  notwithstanding  all  the  outcry 
against  him,  elect  Abraham  Lincoln.  If  you  want  to  choose  the  man 
most  respected  and  most  feared  by  the  whole  menagerie  of  rebeldom, 
elect  Abraham  Lincoln.  If  you  want  a  speedy,  honorable,  permanent 
peace,  elect  Abraham  Lincoln. 

"  But  if  you  want  the  tactics  and  the  atmosphere  of  the  Chickahominy 
Swamp  carried  to  Washington,  elect  George  B.  McClellan.  If  you  wish 
Jefferson  Davis  to  rule  in  Washington,  if  you  wish  to  gratify  the  vilest 
men  out  of  perdition,  vote  for  McClellan.  Hear  one  of  a  hundred  of 
my  reasons  for  saying  this :  '  The  miscreants  and  murderers  who 
slaughtered,  scalped,  and  mutilated  our  unarmed  soldiers  at  Centralia, 
howled  for  McClellan,  and  cursed  Lincoln,  as  they  tore  the  scalps  from 
the  heads  of  living  men,  and  wiped  their  bowie-knives,  all  reeking  in 
the  warm  blood  of  helpless,  sick,  and  wounded  soldiers.'  " 

'•  November  7,  1864.  — I  made  my  last  political  speech  at  South  Ded- 
ham;  and  I  thank  God  that  I  have  lived  to  make  these  efforts  for  my 
country  and  my  race. 

"  November  8th.  —  The  turning-point  of  the  nation's  destiny.  To-day 
we  elect  Lincoln  or  McClellan.     Life  or  death  !  " 

The  cause  suffered  no  detriment  in  the  great  political  ex- 
citement. Mr.  Lincoln  was  elected  by  an  overwhelming 
majority.  The  armies  of  the  East  and  the  West  knew  little 
but  of  victory.     Sherman,  by  his  brilliant  march  to  the  sea, 


THE   CIVIL  WAR.  311  , 

had  prepared  the  way  for  Grant  to  accept  the  surrender  at 
Appomattox. 

Rejoicing  everywhere  !  Grief  only  for  the  dead  !  Hearts 
long  anxious,  grew  lighter  in  anticipation  of  the  tramp  of 
the  army  homewards.  Rejoicing  was  heard  even  in  homes 
of  sorrow,  since  their  heroes  had  not  died  in  vain.  Cheer 
upon  cheer  of  victory  was  given  in  every  Northern  camp. 
The  cruel  war  was  over.  The  Union  was  saved,  and  slavery 
was  destroyed.  The  greatest  work  of  the  century  was  com- 
pleted. 

Just  before  this  break  of  day  it  had  seemed  very  dark. 
President  Lincoln,  obeying  his  naturally  deep  religious  im- 
pulse, had  appointed  as  a  day  of  fasting  and  prayer,  Thurs- 
day, the  13th  of  April.  The  day  came,  but  it  proved  a 
day  divinely-  fore-ordained  to  thanksgiving.  A  great  con- 
gregation gathered  in  the  Mount  Vernon  Church  to  hear 
the  patriot  preacher.  The  theme  was  that  announced  at  the 
opening  of  the  war,  —  Dependence  upon  Grod  :  — 

"  Let  us  notice  h'ow  God  has  heard  and  answered  our  prayers.  Every 
hope  of  our  enemies  has  been  disappointed;  and  that,  when  some  of  these 
hopes  were  to  human  view  very  solidly  founded.  Men  of  leisure,  for 
whom  others  toiled  without  compensation,  they  had  made  partisan  poli- 
tics a  study  and  a  life's  work.  They  were  shrewd,  far-seeing,  perfectly 
masters  of  the  votes  of  their  section  of  the  country,  every  five  white  in- 
habitants counting  eight  in  congressional  representation;  they  knew  all 
the  resources  of  the  government,  all  the  cowardly  compromisers  of  the 
free  States  ;  they  were  well-informed  as  to  the  plans  and  wishes  of  the 
ruling  classes  in  Europe.  They  laid  their  schemes  deep  and  broad,  with 
ample  time  to  mature  them.  They  had  the  Rothschilds  and  the  London 
'  Times  '  on  their  side.  They  selected  their  own  time,  when  they  had  a 
traitor  on  the  throne,  to  strip  the  government  of  its  weapons  of  defense, 
and  then  struck  the  blow  which  they  believed  would  paralyze,  and  either 
make  it  surrender  to  its  conquerors,  or  forever  withdraw  from  the  field 
of  competition  with  their  new-fledged  government.  It  seemed  to  them 
they  must  succeed.  Never  have  more  sanguine  expectations  been  an- 
nounced. The  grass  was  to  grow  in  the  streets  of  New  York.  A 
planter  was  to  call  the  roll  of  his  slaves  on  Bunker  Hill.  I  think  a  ball 
was  announced  to  be  conducted  by  rebels  in  the  White  House,  soon  after 
the  war  began.  We  prayed  that  it  might  not  be  so  ;  and  it  has  not  been 
so.     Great  Britain  and  France  were  to  come  in  to  aid  the  rebels  directly 


,312  LIFE   OF  EDWARD  NORMS   KIRK. 

and  openly,  as  well  as  stealthily  and  immediately.  But  we  prayed 
against  intervention,  and  it  never  came.  They  expected  to  find  that  we 
were  Puritans  who  had  forgotten  to  keep  their  power  dry  as  well  as  to 
pray  ;  that  there  was  no  spirit  in  the  Northern  people  to  resist  their 
movements.  We  asked  God  to  move  on  the  Northern  heart,  and  the 
prayer  was  answered,  and  as  brave  and  patriotic  soldiers  as  ever  fell  or 
conquered,  have  fallen  or  conquered  in  the  Union  army,  cheerful  sacri- 
fices ;  nay,  sacrifices  of  joy  have  been  bound  to  the  horns  of  the  altar  of 
God  and  father-land. 

"  Our  finances  were  confidently  expected,  both  by  the  rebels  and 
their  friends  in  Europe,  to  become  early  embarrassed,  and  thus  our 
overthrow  to  be  insured.  But  God  heard  our  prayers,  and  gold  mines, 
and  silver  mines,  and  petroleum  wells,  offered  their  treasures  to  us  ;  and 
thus  we  were  secure  in  that  direction. 

"  The  battle-field  of  the  war  was  to  be  within  the  free  States.  Sacred 
South  Carolina  was  to  cover  the  hated  North  with  blood  and  ruin,  while 
she  remained  secure  within  her  own  domains.  But  the  North  has  never 
been  invaded,  except  on  its  southern  border.  We  prayed  God  to  keep 
back  the  enemy ;  and  if  there  must  be  war,  let  him  have  it  on  his  own 
fields  ;  and  the  prayer  has  been  answered.  The  war  could  not  close 
until  South  Carolina  had  perished  by  the  sword  she  had  taken. 

"  The  conspirators  counted  upon  the  subserviency  of  a  political  party 
in  the  North,  even  after  they  had  themselves  reduced  it  to  such  weak- 
ness that  it  swayed  the  country  no  longer.  But  they  found  to  their  dis- 
may that  there  were  too  many  honest  and  loyal  men  in  that  party  to 
make  it  continue  to  do  their  work. 

"  They  expected  Northern  capitalists  to  sacrifice  country  for  the  favor 
of  cotton-planters.     It  was,  by  God's  grace,  made  a  miscalculation. 

"  They  thought  the  North  could  raise  neither  an  army  nor  a  navy. 
How  sadly,  how  bitterly  have  they  discovered  that  they  knew  neither 
God  nor  man  ;  what  we  could  do,  and  what  God  would  do  for  us. 

"  They  believed  they  had  monopolized  the  educated  talent  of  West 
Point,  if  not  Annapolis  ;  but  God  had  in  reserve  a  Sherman,  a  Grant,  a 
Sheridan,  a  Farragut,  a  Dupont,  a  Foote,  a  Porter;  and  hundreds  of 
subordinate  officers  and  thousands  of  noble  patriots  for  the  ranks  and 
the  ropes,  who  could  gird  the  republic  about,  as  with  a  wall  of  fire. 

"  They  calculated  the  odds  between  a  shrewd,  polished  politician  long 
schooled  at  the  capital,  and  a  crude  Western  lawyer,  who  could  not 
grace  a  drawing-room  ;  and  believed  their  leader  could  insure  them  suc- 
cess, and  ours  would  insure  our  overthrow.  When  our  president  elect 
left  his  western  home  to  assume  the  terrible  responsibility  of  leader  of 
the  nation  on  the  verge  of  ruin,  his  request  was,  'Pray  forme.'  We 
have  prayed  for  him  ;  and  God  has  answered  our  prayers.  And  shall 
not  the  nation  say  :  '  I  love  the  Lord  because  He  hath  heard  my  voice 


THE   CIVIL  WAR.  313 

and  my  supplication.  Because  He  hath  inclined  his  ear  unto  me,  there- 
fore will  I  call  on  Him  as  long  as  I  live.' 

"  Our  God  has  done  it,  and  we  will  praise  Him.  Who  can  look  back 
without  horror  upon  the  perils  we  have  escaped  ?  Our  president  was 
almost  in  the  grasp  of  the  assassin.  Our  capital  lay,  twice  at  least,  at 
the  mercy  of  the  foe.  The  Monitor  reached  Chesapeake  Bay  just  in 
time  to  save  our  whole  blockading  fleet  from  the  Merrimae.  The  foreign 
secretary  and  the  foreign  ministers  steered  us  through  Sylla  and  Charyb- 
dis.  Grant  was  almost  captured.  The  battle  of  Gettysburg  was  almost 
lost.  But  our  God  has  saved  us ;  and  we  will  praise  his  holy  name,  and 
tell  the  generations  to  come  of  his  wonderful  works  of  mercy. 

I'  And  now,  what  shall  I  say  of  the  position  He  has  assigned  us  among 
the  nations  of  the  earth?  Four  years  ago,  our  few  friends  in  Europe 
were  trembling  for  our  very  life.  Gloating  enemies  could  not  contain 
the  glee  with  which  they  watched  the  ruin  of  the  hated  republic.  The 
bulls  of  Bashan  roared  through  that  vilest  of  mouth-pieces,  the  '  Times,' 
our  funeral  dirge.  But  to-day  we  stand  honorable  in  our  patriotic  zeal, 
our  forbearance  toward  the  insults  and  injustice  of  professed  neutral 
powers,  our  material  resources  and  skill  to  use  them  ;  able  to  maintain  a 
national  existence,  to  carry  on  the  most  formidable  war,  and  crush  the 
most  formidable  revolution  of  modern  history.  We  have  conquered 
without  the  machinery  of  Libby  prisons.  There  is  no  Belle  Isle,  or 
Andersonville,  or  Salisbury,  to  cry  to  heaven  against  us,  or  to  be  monu- 
ments to  future  generations  of  an  element  of  barbarism  in  our  civiliza- 
tion. We  conquered  our  enemies  in  tbe  field  and  the  fort  and  on  the 
deck,  by  skill  and  courage,  in  fair  conflict ;  not  by  starvation  and  vermin 
and  malaria  in  prisons. 

"All  this  we  trace  to  the  good  hand  of  our  God  upon  us." 

The  would-be  assassin  of  1861  had  indeed  been  foiled,  but 
now  another  was  ready.  On  the  14th  of  April,  the  very  day 
when  the  Union  flag  was  again  flung  out  over  Fort  Sumter, 
President  Lincoln  was  assassinated,  and  Secretary  Seward's 
life  also  attempted.  The  brief  thanksgiving  of  Thursday 
was  all  too  suddenly  swallowed  up  in  the  grief  of  "  Black 
Friday."  1  Telegrams  every  hour  made  known  to  every  city, 
town,  and  village,  the  condition  of  the  dying  president.     On 


1  We  have  kept  the  term  marked  in  his  one  was  felt  by  the  hearts  of  the  nation, 

note  book,  although  fully  aware   that  the  while  that  of  the  other  was  seen  in  the  le- 

term  "Black    Friday"    has  more  recently  gitimate  natural  fruits  of  stock-gambling  in 

been  applied  to  the  great  Wall  Street  panic  a  single  city.     The  historic  national  Black 

of  1873.     The  terrible  significance  of  the  Friday  was  in  1865. 


314  LEFE   OF  EDWARD  NORRIS   KIRK. 

Saturday  morning,  the  greatest  martyr  of  the  conflict  passed 
away. 

All  business  was  suspended  for  the  day.  A  funereal 
gloom  settled  over  the  stricken  people.  The  flags  hung  at 
half-mast.  The  streets  were  draped  in  mourning.  The 
church-bells,  in  every  village,  town,  and  city,  were  tolled  in 
the  grief  that  was  too  deep  for  speech.  Music  refused  to 
utter  itself  except  in  dirges  ;  that  inspired  by  the  war- 
marches,  quick-steps,  songs,  was  now  ending  in  the  "  Dead 
March  in  Saul."  Churches  and  halls  were  opened,  that  the 
multitudes  might  congregate  for  sympathy.  Men  unused  to 
weep,  wept.     A  nation  bowed  themselves  in  lamentation. 

Boston  was  stricken  with  the  rest.  Her  merchants  met 
on  'Change  only  to  speak  the  general  sorrow.  Traffic  seemed 
as  much  out  of  place  as  in  the  sanctuary.  The  people  had 
learned  well  the  lesson  of  the  war.  Statesmen  and  soldiers 
were  in  the  city ;  yet  to  no  one  of  these  did  the  men  of  State 
Street  look.  In  their  despondency  they  remembered  the 
Mount  Vernon  preacher,  and  sent  for  him.  They  beheld 
his  erect  form,  his  face  saddened  and  yet  beautified  b}^  the 
conflicts  of  sorrow,  his  hair  once  raven-black  now  whitening 
in  the  service  of  Him  who  came  to  make  men  free.  His 
words  were  those  of  a  father  to  his  children.  His  cadences 
of  sadness,  like  rich  minor  music,  calmed  them  into  perfect 
peace.  And  then,  in  response  to  their  request,  he  led  their 
hearts  in  prayer. 

Three  times  that  day  he  was  summoned  to  speak,  —  on 
'Change,  at  a  flag-raising  in  Pearl  Street,  and  in  the  mass 
meeting  in  Tremont  Temple.  Probably  the  speech  at  the 
Temple  surpassed  in  brilliancy  every  other  address  in  his 
whole  career.  Every  chord  of  the  human  heart  was  struck 
by  the  wise  counselor. 

It  was  in  this  speech  (of  which  no  adequate  report  was 
made)  that  he  compared  the  nation  to  a  great  harp  out  of 
tune.  All  its  chords  were  in  their  places ;  all  its  screws 
were  rightly  set.  One  man  after  another  had  attempted  to 
tune  it,  but  in  vain.     The  major  chord  of  victory  had  been 


THE   CIVIL  WAR.  315 

followed  by  the  minor  chord  of  defeat.  Jealousies,  rivalries, 
and  factions,  had  done  their  work.  "But  at  ten  o'clock  last 
night,"  said  the  speaker,  "  God  put  his  hand  to  the  chords ; 
and  now  the  nation  is  in  tune." 

Mere  printed  abstracts  afford  us  no  adequate  conception 
of  the  addresses  and  sermons  of  that  grief-stricken  time. 

In  the  winter  of  1866,  a  journey  through  the  South,  from 
Virginia  to  the  Gulf,  only  confirmed  his  previous  judgment 
as  to  the  condition  of  the  Southern  people.  In  the  light  of 
subsequent  events,  the  following  record  of  his  views  on  re- 
construction is  of  significant  interest :  — 

"  Reconstruction  is  the  order  of  the  day.  But  not  to  avenge  our  out- 
raged country  ;  not  to  secure  a  refunding  of  the  millions  spent  in  the 
war  ;  not  to  make  the  rebels  pay  more  than  their  share  of  the  three 
billion  dollars  of  debt  they  made  us  contract  by  their  madness  ;  not  to 
add  one  other  pang  to  their  mortification  and  disappointment,  or  to  the 
misery  their  folly  has  brought  upon  them. 

••  The  reconstruction  we  want  is.  first,  that  rebellion  against  the 
federal  government  shall  be  demonstrated  to  be  so  costly,  so  despica- 
ble, so  hopeless,  that  a  thousand  Calhouns,  Masons.  Ruffins,  and  Davises, 
can  never  again  '  fire  the  Southern  heart  '  to  undertake  it.  Secondly, 
such  a  quietus  put  upon  the  Hotspurs  of  the  South,  that  in  case  of  diffi- 
culty with  any  foreign  power,  the  mortified  demagogues  shall  not  be  in 
positions  to  avenge  themselves  by  combining  their  forces  with  those  of 
the  foreign  foe.  Thirdly,  a  guarantee  that  the  black  man  shall  be  a  citi- 
zen, fully  and  everywhere  protected,  as  every  white  child  is.  by  the 
whole  military  power  of  the  country,  and  in  full  possession  of  his  rights 
of  manhood.  Fourthly,  that  that  article  of  the  Constitution  shall  be  put 
fully  in  force,  by  which  the  federal  government  is  bound  to  secure  to 
each  State  a  republican  form  of  government.  Fifthly,  that  every  citizen 
shall  be  proportionately  taxed  to  pay  the  debt  of  the  government,  and 
that  no  citizen  shall  be  taxed  to  pay  the  debt  of  the  rebels,  accumulated 
in  the  effort  to  destroy  the  nation." 


CHAPTER  XV. 

TRAITS    AND    SOURCES    OF   POWER   AS  A  MINISTER. 

Not  every  good  man  is  fitted  to  become  a  good  preacher  ; 
but  every  good  preacher  must  be  a  good  man. 

In  analyzing  the  power  of  Dr.  Kirk  as  a  pastor  and 
preacher,  we  need  no  demonstration  of  his  fervent  piety, 
other  than  has  already  been  given.  His  assertion  concern- 
ing the  celebrated  Dr.  Archibald  Alexander  is  eminently 
true  of  himself  :  "  God  was  his  dwelling-place  ;  and,  like  an 
affectionate  child,  he  was  timid  about  getting  far  from  home." 
"  It  is  a  great  attainment,"  he  afterwards  said,  "  to  believe 
that  God  has  appointed  you  to  a  work  ;  to  obey  his  call  to 
that  work  and  then  lean  on  his  almighty  arm.  Then  the 
soul  is  poised,  and  at  rest.  It  finds  there  strength  and  gen- 
tleness, energy  and  tranquillity.  It  aspires  to  nothing  more, 
covets  nothing  more,  pretends  to  nothing  more,  envies  no 
other  servant  of  the  same  master ;  but  rejoices  in  the  success 
and  glory  of  all  and  each." 

Days  of  fasting  and  prayer  were  sacredly  set  apart  and 
kept  in  the  midst  of  his  most  arduous  duties.  He  believed 
with  Luther,  that  to  have  prayed  well  was  to  have  studied 
well.  Whatever  may  be  the  philosophical  reasons  of  the 
fact,  it  yet  remains  true  that  those  most  honored  in  the 
church  have  been  men  most  accustomed  to  prayer.1  This 
was  the  marked  characteristic  of  every  prominent  reformer. 
Said  Luther,  "  I  have  often  learned  more  in  one  prayer  than 
I  could  have  got  from  much  reading  and  composing."  The 
writings  of  John  Calvin  declare  his  unfaltering  trust  in  the 

1  See  chapter  i.  of  Prayer  and  its  Re-  D.  D.  It  gives  valuable  references,  a  few 
markuMe  Answers,  by  William  W.  Patton,     of  which  we  have  here  transcribed. 


TRAITS  AND   SOURCES  OF  POWER  AS  A  MINISTER.    317 

same  agency.  Queen  Mary  bore  witness  to  the  fact,  although 
ignorant  of  its  philosophy,  in  the  assertion  that  she  "  feared 
the  prayers  of  John  Knox  more  than  all  the  armies  of  Eu- 
rope." Without  the  same  undying  trust,  Melancthon  would 
have  been  shorn  of  his  power.  The  names  of  David  Brain- 
ard,  Harlan  Page,  Henry  Martyn,  Edward  Payson,  Robert 
M.  McCheyne,  and  the  Wesley s,  are  only  a  few  of  the  many 
whose  power  lay,  not  in  the  mere  intellect,  but  in  their  living 
piety. 

Dr.  Kirk's  own  convictions  of  the  great  truth  here  involved, 
were  thus  expressed  in  an  address  to  the  students  of  Ches- 
hunt  College,  founded  by  Lady  Huntington :  "  It  was  well 
said  by  a  French  divine,  more  than  half  a  minister's  work 
must  be  accomplished  in  his  closet ;  it  is  an  affair  between 
him  and  his  God.  Each  Christian  must  be  a  man  of  prayer  ; 
but  chiefly  he  who  undertakes  to  negotiate  between  God  and 
man  in  the  matter  of  salvation.  The  life  of  all  our  services, 
the  power  of  our  appeals,  the  light  of  our  instructions,  the 
efficacy  of  our  consolations,  the  savor  of  our  example,  all 
depend  upon  the  degree  of  our  communion  with  God.  We 
are  bound  to  live  in  view  of  both  worlds,  —  to  cherish  the 
sentiments  of  heaven,  while  we  live  on  earth  ;  we  are  like 
ambassadors  to  a  rebel  province,  who,  by  constant  corre- 
spondence with  the  sovereign  and  his  loyal  courtiers,  preserve 
ourselves  from  contracting  the  spirit  of  rebellion,  while  we 
deeply  sympathize  with  the  wretched  condition  of  our  rebel 
fellow-subjects.  And  where  does  the  pastor  tread  more 
closely  in  the  steps  of  the  Great  High  Priest  than  when,  with 
the  names  of  his  people  on  his  heart,  he  is  before  the  sprink- 
led mercy-seat?  The  church  ought  to  look  with  much 
anxiety  to  this  point,  —  that  her  ministers  be  men  of  prayer, 
of  eminent  prayerfulness." 

Dr.  Kirk  was  endowed,  to  be  sure,  with  outward  gifts  of 
the  highest  order  ;  persons  of  the  most  varied  tastes  and 
habits  were  alike  charmed  by  his  power  in  the  pulpit ;  the 
very  place  assumed  a  sacredness  from  the  time  of  his  en- 
trance ;  and  remark  was  habitually  made   of   his   delicate 


318  LIFE   OF  EDWARD  NORMS   KIRK. 

sense  of  propriety  in  his  every  action.  But  was  this  all? 
A  critic  advocating  the  world's  surface-view,  thus  records  his 
judgment :  — 

"  Mr.  Kirk  enters  the  pulpit  with  a  grace  of  manner  which  pleases  the 
eye,  and  at  once  creates  a  favorable  impression.  He  handles  a  hymn- 
book,  or  a  Bible,  in  the  same  elegant  manner ;  and  slight  as  these  things 
may  seem,  and  as  little  worthy  of  notice,  they  open  to  us  the  chief  secret 
of  his  success.  He  is  as  graceful  in  mind  as  he  is  in  person,  and  this 
single  fact  forms  the  leading  charm  of  his  public  addresses. 

"Teachers  of  dancing,  gymnastics,  or  etiquette,  may  strive  in  vain  to 
impart  a  style  like  Mr.  Kirk's  even  to  the  most  refined  and  graceful  per- 
son, unless  nature  has  furnished  a  contour  of  parts  as  admirably  adapted 
to  it  as  in  the  instance  in  question.  Some  perhaps  may  think  we  lay  too 
much  stress  upon  this  point.  But  we  do  not.  We  agree  that  if  Mr. 
Kirk  had  not  been  blessed  with  excellent  intellectual  taste,  as  well  as  with 
elegant  manners,  he  would  not  have  succeeded  as  well;  but  we  add,  that, 
with  twice  the  ability  without  the  manners,  he  would  have  been  even 
more  unfortunate.  Mr.  Kirk's  personal  manners,  then,  in  our  estimation, 
give  the  entire  tone  and  effect  to  his  discourses." 

But  men  more  gifted  than  he  have  failed.  Men  more 
graceful  even  than  he  have  been  as  "  sounding  brass."  In  a 
deep  beyond  the  reach  of  the  subtlest  analysis  of  any  merely 
natural  gifts,  we  find  the  key  to  such  a  power  as  he  wielded. 
From  an  old  book  worn  and  faded,  sacredly  kept  among  his 
choicest  papers,  we  read  the  secret  source  of  his  strength. 
It  is  only  an  enlargement  of  what  he  had  often  before  sub- 
scribed :  — 

"The  Covenant. 

"  Boston,  January  29,  1850.  I  now  renounce  all  creature-excellence, 
wisdom,  and  power,  in  so  far  as  they  may  be  rivals  of  Jehovah;  '  all 
the  vanities  aud  cursed  idols  of  this  world;'  the  pleasures,  the  profits, 
the  honors  of  sin. 

"  I  engage  to  delight  and  trust  supremely  in  the  Infinite  and  Eternal 
God. 

"  I  will  make  it  the  supreme  design  and  desire  of  my  soul,  that  God 
may  be  more  glorious  than  all  his  creatures  in  my  view,  and  in  the  view 
of  all  men. 

"  I  will  endeavor  evermore  to  stand  with  God,  alone  upon  the  founda- 
tion of  his  covenant,  —  the  person  and  work  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ. 

"My  study  shall  chiefly  be  directed  to  this  practical  end:  to  discover 


TRAITS  AND   SOURCES  OF   POWER  AS   A  MINISTER.     319 

how  I  can  fulfill' these  promises;  wherein  I  come  short;  how  to  penetrate 
my  soul  most  deeply  with  a  sense  of  the  evil  of  such  failure ;  and  how  to 
please  God  after  such  failure. 

"  This  covenant  is  made  after  nearly  thirty-six  years  spent  nominally 
in  the  service  of  God,  with  various  emotions:  — 

"  Thankfulness  that  I  am  permitted  to  make  it ; 

"Fear  that  it  may  aggravate  the  guilt  of  my  future  unfaithfulness ; 

"  Absolute  distrust  of  my  own  heart; 

"Implicit  and  cheerful  reliance  on  the  love  and  power  of  my  Lord 
Jesus  Christ. 

"To  it  I  affix  a  name  eminent  in  its  unworthiness.  And  may  the 
seal  of  the  Spirit  be  upon  it,  as  expressive  of  God's  holy  approbation! 

"Edward  N.  Kirk." 

Yet  no  man  was  more  deeply  interested  in  learning  for  his 
own  behalf,  or  more  emphatically  contended  for  a  learned 
ministry.  Beyond  question,  his  convictions  in  this  regard 
were  another  main  source  of  his  power.  In  Latin,  Greek, 
and  Hebrew,  besides  many  of  the  modern  languages,  he  was 
well  instructed.  He  studied  carefully,  in  the  original,  the 
meaning  of  every  text.  "  The  Hebrew  and  Greek  Script- 
ures," such  were  his  own  words,  "  ought  to  become  the 
familiar  companions  of  a  gospel  minister.  There  is  a  sweet- 
ness, unction,  and  power  in  them,  which  can  be  felt  but  not 
translated.  The  meaning  may  be  expressed  by  circumlocu- 
tion ;  and  the  translation  will  thus  be  equally  instructive  as 
the  original  ;  but  it  cannot  be  equally  impressive  either  on 
the  imagination  or  on  the  heart."  His  note-books  attest, 
moreover,  the  close  attention  given  to  every  advance  in 
thought.  The  statements  of  those  whom  hasty  men  denounce 
as  "  infidel  "  were  closely  examined,  and  commended  either 
to  the  criticism  or  to  the  approbation  of  others  :  — 

"It  remains  true,  that  the  church  is  called  upon,  by  the  providence 
of  her  Lord,  to  secure  a  ministry  profoundly  learned,  and  disciplined  in 
all  the  higher  range  of  intellectual  exertion.  By  the  learning  of  the 
ministry,  we  mean  to  describe  both  knowledge  and  cultivation:  a  knowl- 
edge of  the  Bible,  and  of  all  that  can  throw  light  upon  its  meaning;  a 
knowledge  of  the  various  shades  of  error  which  have  misled  men  in  past 
ages,  and  to  which  they  are  still  exposed  ;  a  knowledge  of  the  human 
heart,  as  gained  from  the  study  of  the  Bible,  of  history,  of  our  contem- 
poraries, and  of  ourselves;  a  knowledge  of  the  dealings  of  God  with  his 


320  LIFE   OF  EDWARD  NORMS   KIRK. 

church  in  each  period  of  her  history;  a  knowledge  of  whatever  bears 
upon  the  interests  of  man  as  a  subject  of  God's  moral  government;  and 
a  thorough  discipline  of  mind,  or  the  power  of  using  the  mental  faculties 
in  the  highest  exercise  of  which  they  are  capable." 

Repeatedly,  as  opportunities  were  given  in  addresses  to 
the  students  of  our  colleges  and  those  interested  in  education, 
he  maintained  the  necessity  for  a  ministry  able  to  cope  with 
errorists :  the  church  of  Christ  should  control  men  intel- 
lectually as  well  as  by  example.  In  an  address  delivered 
in  Newark,  N.  J.,  October  30,  1851,  he  thus  enforced  his 
views :  — 

"  In  Germany,  this  potent  instrument  [education]  has  fallen  into  the 
hands  of  infidelity.  And  how  dreadful  the  consequences  have  been! 
Once  in  Austria  the  proportion  of  Catholics  to  Protestants  was  one  to 
twenty-nine.  And  for  years  scarcely  a  man  could  be  found  to  enter  the 
priesthood.  Now  she  has  become  the  sword-arm  of  the  Papacy.  And 
how  ?  The  Jesuits  were  permitted  to  control  the  universities.  Luther 
was  a  teacher,  and  spread  his  doctrines  greatly  by  his  students.  You 
remember  Abelard,  John  of  Paris,  and  Wickliffe  ;  what  an  immense  in- 
fluence they  exerted  by  their  professional  labors.  You  remember  the 
venerable  Simeon  of  Cambridge.  He  probably  did  more  than  any  other 
man  to  restore  an  evangelical  spirit  to  the  Episcopal  Church  in  England. 
Revert  to  the  critical  position  of  things  in  our  country  when  Jefferson 
came  into  power,  and  gave  his  gigantic  influence  to  favor  the  infidelity 
of  France.  There  was  one  man,  who  probably  did  as  much,  if  not  more, 
to  furnish  an  effectual  resistance  to  his  influence,  than  any  other.  That 
man  was  Timothy  Dwight.  He  has  stamped  his  own  impress  deeply  on 
the  religion  of  this  country  and  on  the  moral  department  of  its  politics. 
His  power  over  the  students  at  Yale  was  immense;  and  most  faithfully 
did  he  use  it  for  Christ  and  his  truth." 

This  interest  in  every  scheme  for  a  higher  education  deep- 
ened with  his  years.  Next  to  the  church,  the  Christian 
college  held  in  his  estimation  the  highest  place  :  — 

"  It  is  the  beneficent  dispenser  of  God's  highest  intellectual  gifts;  the 
great  gymnasium  where  the  spiritual  powers  are  trained  ;  the  fountain  of 
light  for  the  teachers  of  mankind.  It  is  the  hospital  where  ignorance  is 
cured;  it  is  the  section  of  life's  highway  where  experience  and  inexperi- 
ence come  together  in  the  most  living  and  effective  intercourse;  nay,  it  is 
the  consecrated  place  where  all  the  masters  of  thought,  from  remotest 
ages  and  lands,  meet  together  to  enrich  the  youthful  mind  of  the  present 


TKAITS  AND   SOURCES   OF  POWER  AS  A  MINISTER.     321 

generation.  There,  Homer's  harp  still  sounds.  There,  Demosthenes 
still  animates  the  soul  to  emulate  his  sublime  eloquence;  and  Cicero  still 
teaches  how  to  become  mighty  in  defense  of  truth.  All  sages,  philoso- 
phers, statesmen,  heroes,  historians,  poets,  and  orators,  there  live  a  death- 
less life,  to  keep  the  world  from  gliding  back  to  ignorance  and  barbarism. 
What  is  the  Christian  college?  The  sacred  place  where  Chri>tian 
scholars  teach,  and  govern,  and  counsel  our  young  men;  where  the  light 
of  a  godly  example  shines  in  the  men  whom  our  youth  love  to  honor ; 
where  the  worship  of  God  is  a  part  of  the  daily  life,  and  where  daily 
prayer  lays  all  the  hallowed  interests  of  the  beloved  youth  under  the  dew 
of  the  mercy-seat.  In  the  Christian  college,  Moses  comes  before  Soc- 
rates, David  before  Homer,  Paul  before  Plato,  and  Jesus  Christ  is  on  the 
throne.  Over  the  sacred,  classic  inclosure,  rests  all  day  the  cloud  of  a 
covenant-keeping  God;  and  from  its  altar  rises  constantly  the  incense  of 
interceding  prayer." 

In  addition  to  this  profound  regard  for  sound  learning,  we 
must  count,  as  another  source  of  his  success,  his  clear  com- 
prehension of  the  value  to  the  minister  of  a  masterly  expres- 
sion. His  own  powers  in  this  respect  were  the  result,  not 
only  of  nature  but  of  study.  His  life-long  friend  James  W. 
Alexander  once  wrote  him  of  a  common  acquaintance :  "  He 
is  a  manly  and  forcible  speaker,  perhaps  a  little  disposed  to 
neglect  those  minor  accomplishments  of  voice  and  mien  which 
you  and  I,  my  dear  fellow,  have  in  a  good  long  career  lost 
nothing  by  regarding." 

Dr.  Kirk  was  possessed  of  a  fine  and  commanding  pres- 
ence, a  voice  of  uncommon  compass  and  power,  and  a  manner 
as  graceful  as  his  voice  was  melodious.  His  was  the  culture 
of  Everett,  with  whom  he  was  often  compared  as  to  diction 
and  delivery.  His  reading  of  the  Scriptures  and  of  hymns 
always  impressed  men  with  his  power.  Many  a  minister 
came  to  him  to  learn  the  secret  of  such  an  utterance.  One 
of  these  has  told  the  story  of  his  discipline.  Said  Dr.  Kirk, 
"  You  may  read  the  hymn  of  Watts,  beginning  — 

"  '  Stand  up,  my  soul  !  shake  off  thy  fears, 
And  gird  the  gospel  armor  on.'  " 

The  clergyman  began  in  his  customary  manner  ;  but  his 
tones  only  awakened  disgust  in  the  teacher.  "  Call  your 
soul  John   Jones,  and  then   read  with  enough  authority  to 

21 


322  LIFE   OF  EDWARD  NORMS   KIRK. 

make  John  Jones  stand  up  and  shake  off  his  fears  and  march 
forward  !  " 

The  voice  of  the  learner  assumed  at  once  a  new  tone  ;  he 
read  as  directed,  — 

"  Stand  up,  John  Jones!  shake  off  thy  fears,"  etc. 

and  the  lesson  was  never  forgotten. 

Worshipers  charmed  by  the  doctor's  reading  in  the  sanct- 
uary and  elsewhere,  never  knew  with  how  great  diligence 
he  had  learned  to  become  so  artlessly  natural.  In  a  volume 
entitled  "  Pulpit  Portraits  of  American  Preachers,"  the 
writer,  Mr.  Dix,  thus  refers  to  this  accomplishment  of  Dr. 
Kirk  :  — 

"  Seldom  have  we  listened  to  a  pleasanter  or  more  impressive  voice 
than  that  of  Mr.  Kirk  as  he  reads  a  hymn.  There  is  a  slight  tremulous- 
ness  in  it,  which  betokens  that  the  reader  feels  the  sentiments  of  the 
author.  The  soul  seems  to  tremble  under  the  influence  of  the  emotional 
excitement.  Free  from  everything  that  could  impose,  or  attract,  or  ex- 
cite by  appeals  to  the  senses,  yet  the  recital  of  a  hymn  from  his  lips 
thrills  us  as  we  never  were  thrilled  before  ;  and  you  observe,  that,  in 
reading  the  Scriptures,  you  are  listening  to  a  paraphrase,  to  a  new  trans- 
lation, to  a  running  exposition,  in  which  is  substance  and  matter  for 
many  sermons.  But  the  prayer  —  oh,  the  prayer!  how  shall  that  be 
characterized?  And  indeed,  we  all  feel  that  prayer  is  no  subject  for 
comment;  and  yet  did  you  ever  listen  to  prayer  like  this?  Quiet,  deep; 
—  the  hushed  fluttering  of  a  dove-like  spirit  through  the  heaven  of  its 
devout  contemplations.  This  we  may  notice  in  it,  that  adoration  and 
ascription  and  devotion  form  so  large  a  portion  of  it,  and  petition  so  little. 
It  is  in  prayer  that  we  feel  how  powerful  is  the  voice  of  God  and  eternity 
in  the  soul  of  our  teacher ;  our  confidence  in  him  is  deepened.  We 
know  that  he  has  traveled  into  '  the  heavenly  places.'  Oh,  reader,  the 
human  heart  is  deep  and  deceptive  ;  but  do  we  not  all  know  our  in- 
structor by  the  tone  of  his  prayers  ?  Do  not  his  supplications  make  our 
best  music?  And  when  our  preacher  discourses  to  us,  he  still  lingers 
near  the  light  that  rayed  through  his  prayer.  Subjects  how  remarkable, 
how  simple,  how  full  of  majesty,  how  full  of  love,  how  full  of  light.  We 
have  never  heard  Mr.  Kirk  without  being  disposed  to  apply  to  him  the 
words  of  Salis,  so  beautifully  translated  by  Longfellow  :  — 

"'Into  the  silent  land! 

Ah,  who  shall  lead  us  thither  ? 

Clouds  in  the  evening  sky  more  darkly  gather, 

And  shattered  wrecks  lie  thicker  on  the  strand. 


TRAITS  AND   SOURCES   OF  POWER  AS   A  MINISTER.     323 

Who  leads  us  with  a  gentle  hand 
Thither,  O  thither, 
Into  the  silent  land  ? 

"  ' O  Land  !  0  Land  ! 

For  all  the  broken-hearted 

The  mildest  herald  by  our  fate  allotted, 

Beckons,  and  with  inverted  torch  doth  stand 

To  lead  us  with  a  gentle  hand 

To  the  land  of  the  great  Departed 

Into  the  Silent  Land !  '  " 

Fortunately,  we  are  able  to  report  in  his  own  words  the 
workings  of  his  mind  as  to  his  preparation  of  sermons ;  and 
they,  in  turn,  reveal  the  character  of  the  man  and  the 
preacher :  — 

"  My  earliest  tendencies  were  to  philosophical  studies,  which  probably 
failed  to  balance  properly  with  other  kinds  of  investigation.  Two  evil 
consequences  resulted  :  my  personal  faith  was  hindered  from  attaining  a 
full  and  free  development;  and  my  pulpit  efforts  partook  too  much  of 
the  dead,  didactic,  abstract  style  which  in  our  day  so  hinders  the  free 
march  of  gospel  truth.  My  later  studies  have  been  more  in  the  depart- 
ment of  fact  and  sympathetic  life,  the  region  of  the  heart  and  poetic  sen- 
sibility. The  effect  is  twofold  ;  the  Bible  is  becoming  to  me  a  more 
luminous  and  glorious  book  ;  and  my  preaching  is  reaching  and  affecting 
a  wider  and  higher  range  of  minds,  and  effecting  (under  God)  deeper 
transformation  of  character. 

"  The  church  seems  to  me  to  owe  a  debt  to  the  leading  theologians 
of  New  England.  Yet  the  sons  of  New  England,  and  the  admirers  of 
her  theology,  ought  to  mark  precisely  the  kind  and  extent  of  benefit  the 
labors  of  these  great  and  good  men  have  conferred.  It  appears  to  me  to 
be  only,  or  chiefly,  negative.  They  have  guarded  us  against  those  false 
statements,  or  modes  of  presenting  revealed  religion,  which  arm  the 
skeptic  with  an  invulnerable  coat-of-mail.  I  think  they  have  taught  us 
nothing  very  positive.  Their  philosophy  of  moral  government  and  of 
the  atonement  may  do  very  well,  but  I  always  felt  when  using  them  as 
David  must  have  felt  with  Saul's  armor.  Give  me,  I  now  say,  the  sling 
and  pebbles  of  'thus  saith  the  Lord,'  and  I  will  go  earnestly  to  meet  the 
Goliaths  of  unbelief  and  pride.  The  abuse  of  their  writings  has  been,  to 
fill  our  pulpits  with  exhibitions  of  the  rationale  of  doctrines,  while  souls 
were  hungering  for  the  very  truths  themselves.  We  must  return  more 
closely  to  the  current  of  thought  and  sentiment  which  characterize 
Whitefield,  Baxter,  Howe,  Flavel,  and  others  like  them.  Nay,  I  may 
say  we  must  preach  more  as  Edwards  preached,  and  preach  less  as  Ed- 
wards philosophized.  If  any  champion  is  terrible  to  the  enemies  of  the 
gospel,  it  seems  to  me  it  will  be  '  the  man  of  the  Book.' 


324  LIFE   OF  EDWARD   NORRIS   KIRK. 

"  Thus  saith  the  Lord.  There  may  be  too  much  '  vindicating  the  ways 
of  God  to  man.'  It  betrays  a  want  of  that  holy  courage  and  simple  con- 
fidence in  the  character  and  word  of  God  which  distinguished  Paul, — 
'  Who  art  thou  that  repliest  against  God.'  That  community  which  has 
been  taught  rigidly  to  search  the  meaning  of  the  Bible,  and  fully  to  con- 
fide in  its  truth,  is  in  a  healthier  state  than  that  which  has  built  its  theo- 
logical faith  on  powerful  reasonings. 

"  Preach  TO  every  creature.  Thus  said  the  Master;  and  yet  many  a 
servant  contents  himself  with  preaching  about  every  creature,  or  above 
every  creature,  or  away  from  every  creature.  In  a  word,  the  preacher 
must  comprehend  both  the  gospel  and  the  creature,  and  preach  the  one 
to  the  other.  The  most  truly  powerful  sermons  are  those  in  which  the 
preacher's  mind  and  heart  have  comprehended,  felt,  and  expressed  the 
deepest,  clearest,  largest,  sweetest,  most  thrilling  truths  of  the  gospel  in 
their  harmonious  connections  with  one  another,  and  at  the  same  time  in 
their  immediate  bearings  upon  the  minds  addressed.  Biblical  truth  is 
to  be  experienced.  Every  truth  of  the  gospel  finds  each  mind  to  which 
it  is  addressed  in  a  particular  state  relatively  to  itself.  One  has  never 
so  seen  it  as  to  find  any  interest  in  it,  nor  opposition  to  it  :  to  preach  to 
that  man  on  that  truth  is  to  present  it  so  as  to  interest  him  in  it.  Another 
has  intellectual  objections  ;  they  must  be  met.  Another  has  antipathies 
definite  and  expressible;  his  very  phrases  ought  to  be  handled  and  held 
in  the  sunbeam  until  they  melt  and  evaporate.  Another  has  deep  antipa- 
thies that  he  has  never  distinctly  recognized  in  himself;  they  must  be 
summoned  up  from  the  '  vasty  deep,'  and  exorcised  by  the  word  of  the 
Lord  in  the  mouth  of  his  servant. 

"  Sympathy  with  the  hearer  should  characterize  every  preacher.  It 
will  distinguish  the  permanently  successful  preacher.  This  exhibits  the 
source  of  the  evils  adverted  to  in  the  preceding  article.  Some  men  are 
very  powerful  in  a  certain  way;  they  can  grasp  a  subject  in  its  intrinsic 
magnitude,  seize  upon  its  higher,  vaster,  remoter  relations,  and  they 
are  very  powerful  in  convincing  men  that  they  are  powerful.  But  if 
power  consists  in  an  ability  to  interest  men  in  the  gospel;  in  arousing 
the  conscience;  in  awaking  the  slumbering  desires  after  God  and  heaven 
and  holiness,  then  these  men  are  weak.  They  have  not  the  faculty  (or, 
having  the  faculty,  they  have  not  the  facility)  of  seizing  the  subject  in  its 
bearings  upon  the  moral  sensibilities  of  the  hearer.  To  remedy  this,  re- 
quires an  intense  longing  after  the  conversion  of  sinners  and  the  sanctifi- 
cation  of  ourselves. 

"Feeling  and  animation  in  the  pulpit.  I  knew  a  minister  who  always 
wept  in  the  wrong  place ;  nobody  was  ready  to  cry  with  him ;  and  some- 
times the  very  opposite  feeling  to  sympathy,  by  a  standing  rule  of  mind,  was 
awakened.  I  have  known  men  who  literally  raved  in  the  pulpit;  and  the 
people  looked  on,  as  upon  an  unhappy  subject  of  the  St.  Vitus'  dance. 


TRAITS   AND    SOURCES   OF   POWER  AS   A  MINISTER.     325 

These  are  well  worth  examining  as  specimen  cases.  Why  does  Dr.  A.'s 
solemn  tone  produce  so  little  true  solemnity?  Why  does  Mr.  B.'s  ten- 
derness make  no  other  heart  soft  besides  his  own?  Why  does  Mr.  C.'s 
earnestness  arouse  the  genuine  feeling  in  the  hearers?  One  of  two  evils, 
or  both  of  two  evils,  may  perhaps  exist  in  each  case,  and  explain  the 
whole  phenomenon  of  an  animated  preacher  and  a  dull  audience.  There 
is  a  want  either  of  synijjathy  with  the  subject,  or  with  the  objects  of  the 
address:  with  the  '  gospel '  or  with  the  '  creature.'  " 

The  themes  of  Mount  Vernon  pulpit  all  centred  around 
the  person  of  Christ.  Whatever  was  of  interest  to  the  sa- 
cred cause,  found  there  a  place.  The  great  reforms,  chiefly 
those  of  Temperance  and  Antislavery,  were  boldly  -upheld. 
The  weary  and  the  down-trodden  found  unspeakable  comfort 
in  the  sympathy  always  expressed  ;  and  many  an  outcast  has 
arisen  there,  like  the  prodigal,  to  go  to  his  Father. 

His  parishioner,  Deacon  J.  W.  Kimball,  thus  writes  of 
Dr.  Kirk's  preaching  :  — 

"  Dr.  Kirk  was  certainly  a  man  of  his  own  kind,  and  yet  from  time  to 
time,  and  in  changing  scenes  and  circumstances,  he  might  for  the  moment 
be  claimed,  on  the  one  hand  and  on  the  other,  by  classes  extremely  un- 
like and  in  their  rudiments  quite  incompatible.  To  the  kindly,  warm- 
hearted, impulsive,  he  belonged  always;  to  the  outspoken,  demonstrative, 
laborious,  no  less.  When  exigencies  in  church  or  state  were  imminent, 
no  man  was  more  prompt  to  utter  his  sonorous  note  and  render  a  reason. 
When  our  people  were  at  the  top  of  the  wave  of  exuberant  joy  over  the 
election  of  Harrison,  at  a  moment  when  most  men  of  his  profession 
would  have  deemed  it  the  extreme  of  folly  to  attempt  to  win  the  ear  of 
earnest  politicians  for  Christ,  he  astonished  the  citizens  of  Boston  at  once 
with  an  illustration  of  his  sympathy  with  his  kind,  and  no  less  his  knowl- 
edge of  the  facility  with  which  a  master  hand  can  turn  a  powerful  excite- 
ment to  his  own  purpose,  by  inviting  an  audience  exclusively  of  men  to 
Park  Street  Church.  The  house  was  packed.  A  word  or  two  of  cheer 
may  have  been  accorded  to  the  happy  issue  of  the  election,  a  mound 
from  which  to  fling  his  banner  to  the  breeze,  something  in  this  wise  : 
You  have  done  well,  aye,  nobly;  for  it  is  well  to  be  zealously  affected  al- 
ways in  a  good  cause;  but,  my  friends,  there  is  one  concession  intertwined 
in  this  achievement,  which  you  are  not  to  lose  sight  of;  henceforward, 
when  you  find  us,  the  servants  of  the  Son  of  God,  enlisting  all  our  ener- 
gies to  secure  a  more  exalted,  an  infinitely  higher  election,  you  are  not  to 
charge  undue  enthusiasm,  extravagant  excitement,  or  fanaticism.  He 
then  went  on  to  one  of  his  most  felicitous  and  triumphant  appeals  to  men 


326  LIFE   OF  EDWARD  NORMS   KIRK. 

to  become  loyal  and  true  to  God.  No  man  who  heard  that  thrilling  ap- 
peal could  doubt  that  Dr.  Kirk  was  master  of  the  art  of  swaying  human 
hearts  to  sympathy  with  his  own  glowing  words.  Such  appeals  made 
impressions  that  were  not  forgotten.  When  the  great  rebellion  called 
for  loyal  hearts  and  hands,  his  voice  was  repeatedly  heard  and  welcomed 
in  places  unusual  for  the  clergy. 

"  The  multifarious  invitations  poured  in  upon  him  obtained  a  ready  hear- 
ing, but  none  of  these  things  diverted  him  from  his  one  great  concern, 
to  make  the  gospel  of  salvation  intelligible  and  persuasive  to  all  who 
were  uninterested  in  Christ.  To  suppose  that  Dr.  Kirk,  in  the  beginning 
of  his  ministry,  did  not  render  due  regard  to  the  canons  of  both  logic  and 
rhetoric  to  the  utmost  extent  of  his  ability,  would  be  to  indulge  an  absurd 
supposition.  Few  men  have  known  as  well  as  he,  how  to  thus  marshal 
his  forces  to  the  best  advantage.  In  this  regard,  his  sermons  just  before 
and  subsequent  to  his  settlement  in  Boston  might  be  studied  with  advan- 
tage. And  yet,  as  these  lines  may  be  read  by  those  who  never  saw  or 
heard  him,  it  is  in  place  to  say  that  God  had  given  him  physical  advan- 
tages far  from  common.  He  had  a  robust  frame,  with  a  broad  chest  and 
shoulders,  a  sturdy  arm,  a  voice  of  uncommon  power  and  musical  tone. 
Of  an  emotional  and  passionate  nature,  he  knew  and  used  the  way  to  the 
heart,  and  during  much  of  his  ministry  rarely  if  ever  failed  to  place 
many  of  his  hearers  in  a  melting  mood.  Assuredly  his  was  no  mere 
superficial  power,  no  paper  blaze  to  kindle  only  touchwood  sensibilities. 
Those  longest  used  to  searching  truth,  and  most  unused  to  tears,  could 
least  withhold  just  tribute  to  his  irresistible  array  of  motive  and  of  illus- 
tration. But  as  tens  of  years  rolled  on,  and  the  doctor,  in  his  solicitude 
to  influence  heavenward  as  many  as  he  might,  could  not  refuse  the  ever- 
multiplying  invitations  to  installations,  ordinations,  society  addresses,  and 
evangelistic  labors  of  almost  every  nature,  can  it  be  wondered  that  one  of 
such  abounding  labors  should  find  less  and  less  leisure  for  new  investi- 
gation? Or  that  he  should  surrender  himself  to  the  ever-available  alter- 
native of  so  full  a  mind  and  so  vivid  an  imagination?  The  considerate 
will  not  be  surprised  to  learn,  that  when,  now  and  then,  astonished  by 
some  overwhelmingly  interesting  discourse,  the  question  was  asked  at  the 
close  of  a  Sunday  morning's  service :  '  Why,  when  in  the  world  did  you  find 
time  to  write  that,  doctor?  '  the  answer  would  be,  '  After  I  parted  with 
you  yesterday  afternoon.'  No  less  obvious  will  it  be,  that  not  much  of 
four  or  five  brief  hours  could  have  been  surrendered  to  analysis.  Such 
was  his  facility,  that  one  bright  thought  would  give  a  steeple-chase  to  his 
ready  mind  and  unfaltering  pen,  kindling  the  imagination,  enlisting  the 
sympathy,  and  more  or  less  instructing  the  congregation,  who  could  as 
easily  report  the  successive  phases  of  a  gorgeous  sunset,  or  the  vivid 
illuminings  of  the  Northern  Lights,  as  make  any  extended  reproduction 
of  what  they  had  heard." 


TRAITS   AND   SOURCES   OF  POWER  AS   A  MINISTER.     327 

The  duties  devolving  upon  the  minister  in  his  relations 
to  public  worship,  gained  a  deeper  hold  upon  Dr.  Kirk's 
thoughts  year  by  year.  His  own  peculiar  manner  in  this 
sacred  function  —  peculiar  (shall  we  affirm  ?)  in  its  pure  nat- 
uralness and  its  great  solemnity  —  awakened  in  many  a  mind 
questions  as  to  the  time  spent  in  preparation  for  the  service, 
as  well  as  its  underlying  motives  in  the  preacher's  mind. 
All  those  upon  whom  these  exalted  duties  rest,  will  espe- 
cially ponder  the  following  suggestions,  dictated  just  at  the 
close  of  his  active  ministry  for  just  this  purpose  :  — 

"  WORSHIP. 

' '  I.     Responsibility  of  conducting  Public   Worship. 

"1.  In  aiding  worshipers. —  Woe  to  the  man  who  diverts  his  congre- 
gation by  any  display  of  himself,  by  trickery,  or  by  discussion  of  theo- 
logical doctrine;  by  merely  exhorting  sinners  to  repentance;  by  bringing 
attention  to  anything  personal, — health,  etc.;  or  leaving  them  only 
half  way  to  the  mercy-seat.  The  essence  of  worship  is  the  heart,  not 
the  intellect.  Read  Edwards  on  the  affections,  and  see  how  prominent 
a  place  they  have  in  religion  !  A  thousand  people  are  before  us  and  we 
are  left  to  lift  them  up.  They  are  to  praise  and  pray  before  they  leave 
the  house.  The  leader  should  be  as  near  like  a  seraph  as  possible.  He 
should  mount  the  chariot  of  Aminadab,  —  the  fiery  chariot  of  Elijah. 
His  eye  should  be  fixed  on  the  infinite  majesty,  purity,  justice,  power, 
love,  and  wrath  of  God  ;  on  the  adorable  and  mysterious  Trinity  ;  bid- 
ding his  intellect  lie  low,  while  his  heart  is  glowing  with  celestial  fire; 
now  crying  with  Job,  '  I  have  heard  of  thee  by  the  hearing  of  the  ear; ' 
now  gazing  with  Isaiah  unto  the  '  Holy,  holy,  holy,'  and  with  John,  as 
in  the  Revelation  of  the  Alpha  and  the  Omega.  Let  this  be  settled  in 
the  leader's  mind:  I  am  to  get  all  these  people,  like  a  mother-eagle 
carrying  her  little  ones  on  her  wings,  up,  up,  out  of  the  smoky  atmos- 
phere of  earth  into  the  empyrean,  amid  adoring  angels  and  children  of 
the  first-born  who  are  casting  crowns  at  Jesus'  feet.  In  that  sacred 
hour,  heaven  and  earth  must  commingle.  All  the  nobler  elements  of 
human  nature  must  be  brought  into  exercise:  adoration,  love,  trust,  sub- 
mission, thankfulness,  loyalty,  penitence,  holy  aspiration,  zeal  for  God, 
hope,  joy,  benevolence,  tenderness.  When  a  man  wishes  to  push  a  rock 
from  its  place,  he  must  have  his  foot  against  a  stone  of  more  than  a  ton's 
weight.  He  is  to  lift  a  very  dead  weight.  The  dull,  the  earth-clogged, 
the  world-bewitched,  the  daring,  the  besotted,  —  all  are  there,  and  he 
must  carry  every  heart  in  the  audience  as  thus  unfitted,  —  powerfully 


328  LIFE   OF  EDWARD  NORRIS   KIRK. 

gravitating  towards  earth, — and  lay  it  a  living,  palpitating,  glowing, 
cheerful  sacrifice  on  the  altar  above.  The  minister  who  does  that  must 
be  more  than  a  man  ;  he  must  be  a  man  full  of  faith  and  of  the  Holy 
Ghost.  He  must  pray  in  the  Holy  Ghost.  The  Spirit  which  searcheth 
the  deep  things  of  God  must  reveal  them  to  him,  and  help  his  infirmities. 

"2.  In  teaching  them  to  praise  and  pray.  People  learn  more  what 
prayer  is,  and  how  to  pray,  in  hearing  one  real  prayer  than  by  all  the 
sermons  and  talks  they  ever  heard  or  will  hear,  and  all  the  tracts  they 
will  ever  read  on  the  subject.  A  mother  inquired  of  me,  How  shall  I 
teach  my  child  the  doctrines  of  religion,  when  the  mind  is  unprepared 
for  abstractions  or  to  comprehend  any  subject  not  within  range  of  the 
senses?  My  reply  was:  The  birth-place,  the  home,  the  hearth-stone, 
of  religion  is  the  heart,  not  the  head  ;  your  child  will  learn  more  about 
God  in  a  thousand  things  by  the  influence  of  which  you  are  perfectly  un- 
aware, than  by  any  of  your  abstract  teachings.  The  quick  sympathies 
of  a  child  make  it  an  eager  and  successful  student  of  the  mother's  heart. 
If  she  loves  the  invisible  Father;  if  the  strongest,  tenderest  cords  of  her 
heart  are  fastened  up  above;  if  her  love,  her  trust,  her  thankfulness, 
her  delight  in  God,  now  bring  her  to  the  bended  knee,  now  lead  her  to 
snatch  the  moments  for  reading  that  mysterious  Book,  and  for  singing 
the  gentle  hymns,  now  lift  the  eye  beaming  with  joy  or  suffused  with 
tears  to  the  beloved  Invisible,  or  lead  her  to  take  the  little  one  by  her 
side  to  bend  its  knee  and  look  upward;  if  all  this  makes  a  perfect  con- 
trast between  her  and  many  who  visit  her;  that  child  is  in  the  best  theo- 
logical school,  has  the  best  professor,  the  best  catechism,  that  for  the 
time  being  can  be  furnished  it.  This  may  aid  in  illustrating  the  rela- 
tions between  the  pastor  and  his  people  in  public  worship. 

"  3.  In  convincing  and  impressing  infidels.  Paul  says,  'If  all  prophesy 
(that  is,  in  contrast  with  uttering  unknown  tongues,  with  which  the  Cor- 
inthians had  become  proud,  but  which  when  uninterpreted  were  mere 
jargon  to  a  large  part  of  the  audience)  —  if  all  prophesy  (that  is,  speak 
under  the  power  of  the  Holy  Ghost)  of  things  revealed  in  the  gospel,  and 
there  come  in  one  that  believeth  not,  or  one  unlearned,  he  is  convinced 
of  all,  and  thus  are  the  secrets  of  his  heart  made  manifest;  and  so,  fall- 
ing down  on  his  face,  he  will  worship  God,  and  report  that  God  is  in  you 
of  a  truth! '  I  believe  that  a  living  man  gazing  on  the  face  of  God,  and 
with  his  whole  heart  addressing  the  Eternal,  does  more  to  overcome  infi- 
delity in  the  majority  of  hearers  than  all  the  arguments  or  discussions 
they  have  ever  heard  or  will  hear.  Let  a  man  have  the  vision  of  faith 
which  is  the  realizing  sense  of  all  that  is  revealed  in  the  Bible ;  let  him 
believe  that  God  is,  and  is  the  rewarder  of  them  that  diligently  seek 
Him;  let  his  soul  be  the  focus  on  which  are  concentrated  the  beams  of  all 
the  glorious  Divine  attributes;  let  his  soul  be  looking  with  horror  on  his 
own  sins,  his  heart  be  bleeding  and  breaking  as  he  gazes  on  the  cross; 


TRAITS   AND   SOURCES   OF  POWER  AS  A  MINISTER.     329 

let  his  pride  and  self-righteousness  be  utterly  crucified;  let  his  heart  be 
panting,  his  heart  and  flesh  crying  out  for  the  living  God,  let  his  pater- 
nal eye  be  looking  over  the  whole  range  of  the  Church  of  Christ,  feeling 
the  unity  of  the  Spirit,  the  preciousness  of  the  tie  which  binds  the  body 
of  Christ  together;  let  him  in  the  sanctuary  of  God  understand  the  end  of 
the  ungodly,  exclaiming  with  the  Psalmist,  Surely  thou  didst  set  them  in 
slippery  places :  thou  caxtedst  them  down  into  destruction.  How  are  they 
brought  into  desolation  as  in  a  moment !  they  are  utterly  consumed  with  ter- 
rors, —  and  his  prayers  will  probably  do  more  than  the  best  of  his  ser- 
mons to  overcome  the  skepticism  of  the  human  heart. 

"  II.  Mode  of  Conducting  Public  Worship. 

"1.  Secure  the  timely  and  proportionate  introduction  of  all  the  parts. 
Let  a  full  conception  of  man,  as  created  by  God  for  a  priesthood,  royal, 
etc.,  take  possession  of  the  mind.  The  book  of  Psalms  was  made  to  in- 
struct the  priesthood.  The  book  of  Leviticus  was  made  in  the  Jewish 
form  for  the  same  purpose,  to  be  christianized  under  the  new  dispensa- 
tion. We  must  study  that  book.  When  John  was  elevated  to  close  the 
sacred  volume,  he  beheld  man,  not  as  a  Avarrior,  not  as  a  statesman,  not 
as  a  scholar,  but  simply  conjoined  with  the  holy  angels  in  worship,  and 
strikingly  singled  out  from  them  when  the  central  theme  of  thought  and 
of  praise  was  touched,  —  '  Worthy  the  Lamb.'  Fill  your  souls  with  the 
most  exalted  conception  of  a  congregation  of  people,  filled  with  the  vis- 
ion of  God's  glory;  each  heart  overawed,  elevated,  enraptured  with  the 
sight,  like  Abraham  and  Moses  speaking  with  the  Eternal  face  to  face. 
To  secure  this,  is  the  business  of  the  ministry.  Give  them  clear  concep- 
tions of  the  sentiment  of  adoration:  what  it  is;  what  inspires  it.  Study 
the  book  of  Psalms  to  this  end.  Get  into  the  spirit  of  the  hymns  of 
Watts  and  Charles  Wesley,  of  the  confessions  of  Augustine.  Be  famil- 
iar with  the  Scripture  phraseology  of  prayer  and  praise.     Then  include — 

"  a.  Praise,  — loyalty  and  submission  ; 

"ft.  Thanksgiving; 

"  c.  Confession; 

"  d.  Adoration ; 

"  e.  Consecration; 

"/.  Supplication,  —  for  temporal  good,  for  spiritual  good  to  your- 
selves, families,  church  of  God,  country,  race.  Avoid  cant  phrases; 
life  is  varied. 

"  2.  Secure  the  expression  of  the  suitable  emotions  and  desires.  Suitable, 
that  is,  to  the  general  condition  of  the  people  as  men ;  to  their  special 
condition  as  individuals;  especially,  God's  present  dealings  with  families 
and  communities.  A  leader  of  public  worship  should  be  constantly 
watching  God's  dealings.  Give  utterance  of  the  heart  high  and  low,  of 
weeping  and  rejoicing,  saint  and  sinner.     Thus  secure  freshness,  variety, 


330  LIFE   OF  EDWARD   NORMS   KIRK. 

adaptedness;  and,  by  God's  grace,  create  a  feeling  in  the  people  that 
would  make  them  as  reluctant  to  use  printed  prayers,  as  a  sound  man  to 
use  crutches. 

"3.  Be  in  the  right  tone  yourself;  reverential,  humble,  earnest,  confid- 
ing, joyous,  simple,  tender. 

"III.  Preparation  for  this  Office. 

"  1.  General.  Give  the  liturgies  a  thorough  examination.  Nothing 
more  arrogant  than  to  call  it  our  liturgy.  Notice  the  prayers  of  laymen. 
See  how  they  reach  towards  God.  Read  the  Bible  in  reference  to  this 
whole  subject.  Study  the  wants  of  your  own  heart  and  of  others' hearts. 
Cultivate  sympathy  with  their  wants.  Associate  God's  peculiar  pres- 
ence with  the  sanctuary.  Form  the  habit  of  looking  into  God's  face 
when  you  pray,  and  of  feeling,  when  you  have  prayed,  I  have  talked 
with  God. 

"  2.  Specific  preparation.  Devote  half  an  hour  or  an  hour  to  reflect 
upon  the  worship  you  are  to  conduct.  If  the  providence  of  God  and 
his  Spirit  furnish  you  the  tone  and  topics,  follow  them;  if  not,  take  the 
Book  I  have  mentioned,  select  what  seems  to  you  the  topics  of  the  occa- 
sion until  they  become  real  desires  in  your  heart. 

':  There  is  a  vast  difference  between  expression  and  impression.  As 
the  matter  lies  before  my  mind  at  present,  I  regard  this  to  be  the  line  of 
distinction  between  preaching  and  worship.  The  chief  end  of  preach- 
ing is  impression;  that  of  worship,  expression;  and  while  we  rejoice  in 
the  impressiveness  of  public  worship,  we  may  fear  the  effect  of  aiming 
to  secure  it.  Its  real  impressiveness  lies  wholly  in  the  genuineness  of  its 
expressiveness.  To  make  a  machinery  of  a  conversation  with  God,  a 
reverential  '  address '  to  Him,  appears  to  me  nothing  short  of  sacrilegious 
mockery.  May  not  this  jn'inchple  apply  equally  to  sacred  music  as  to 
prayer  ?  " 

The  influence  exerted  by  one  man  over  others  is  meas- 
ured, in  the  end,  by  his  personal  character.  Thus  the 
pulpit  simply  multiplies  the  personality  of  the  preacher  by 
the  number  of  his  hearers ;  and  we  may  rightly  pass  judg- 
ment upon  every  preacher  of  the  gospel  by  seeking  for  his 
permanent  effect,  not  in  his  sermons,  but  in  his  daily  life. 
The  remark  has  more  than  once  been  made  of  some  pulpit 
star,  "  His  sermons  are  admirable,  but  would  have  greater 
power  were  he  to  be  shut  up  by  himself  so  that  others  should 
not  see  him  during  the  week."  But  from  the  beginning  of 
his  ministry,  in  1826,  until  its  close,  in  1874,  though  multi- 


TRAITS   AND   SOURCES   OF  POWER  AS   A  MINISTER.     331 

tudes  gathered  wherever  Edward  Norris  Kirk  was  announced 
to  preach,  and  though  during  all  this  time  he  lived  in  the 
sight  of  all,  there  was  no  want  of  accord  between  his  mes- 
sage and  his  character.  His  personal  traits,  founded  deep  in 
piety,  fitted  him  to  be  a  leader  among  men.  He  never  aimed 
to  make  a  great  impression  of  himself ;  he  presented  the 
truth  as  hewn  from  the  Eternal  Rock.  As  of  John  Knox, 
so  it  must  be  said  of  him,  "he  never  feared  the  face  of 
man ; "  yet  the  secret  of  his  courage  lay  in  his  humble  faith 
in  God. 

In  the  summer  of  1852  he  was  invited  by  the  church 
in  Duxbury  to  preach  for  them.  His  host,  the  Hon.  Seth 
Sprague,  remarked  in  tjie  morning,  "  Mr.  Kirk,  you  will 
have  Daniel  Webster  in  your  audience  to-day."  "  Well," 
was  his  reply,  "  I  have  only  one  gospel  to  preach."  Mr. 
Webster  was  present  at  the  services ;  the  sermon  was  upon 
Prayer,  moving  by  its  logic  and  pathos  the  great  statesman 
equally  with  the  humblest  auditor.  It  was  the  last  sermon 
Mr.  Webster  ever  heard,  and  the  last  public  service  of  wor- 
ship he  ever  attended.  He  is  known  to  have  said,  "  One 
may  live  as  a  conqueror,  a  king,  or  a  magistrate ;  but  he 
must  die  as  a  man."  The  broken-hearted  statesman  listened 
that  day  not  as  a  magistrate, — that  honor  was  denied  him, — 
but  as  a  man  ;  and,  as  a  man  soon  to  die,  though  he  knew  it 
not,  he  listened  in  the  providence  of  God  to  a  message  that 
spoke,  and  spoke  with  heavenly  authority,  to  that  humble 
humanity  which  alone  was  to  be  his  strength  in  the  flight  of 
"  the  lone  soul  to  the  lone  God." 

The  following  sketch  of  Dr.  Kirk's  ministerial  cai-eer,  by 
the  Rev.  Dr.  Leonard  Bacon,  of  New  Haven,  justly  por- 
trays his  characteristics :  — 

"  My  first  acquaintance  with  Edward  Norris  Kirk  was  in 
the  autumn  of  1826  (more  than  fifty  years  ago),  when  he, 
fresh  from  the  Princeton  Seminary,  came  to  New  Haven,  in 
company  with  the  returned  missionary,  Dr.  Bardwell,  to 
speak  at  the  foreign  missionary  anniversary  which  we  made 


332  LIFE   OF  EDWARD   NORMS   KIRK. 

an  effort  to  keep  up  here  in  those  days.  I  remember  little 
more  of  him  on  that  occasion,  than  that  he  made  then  just 
the  impression  on  me  which,  in  all  my  after  acquaintance 
with  him,  grew  deeper  and  more  distinct.  The  same  enthu- 
siastic zeal  for  the  work  he  had  in  hand  —  the  same  eager- 
ness to  catch  ideas  from  anybody  that  could  tell  him  any- 
thing—  the  same  earnest  and  graceful  eloquence  in  public 
discourse  which  characterized  him  afterwards  —  belonged  to 
him  then.  Perhaps  I  might  say  that  he  was  not  uncon- 
scious of  his  rare  gift,  —  the  gift  of  a  most  winning  and  effec- 
tive utterance,  but  it  was  at  least  equally  evident  that  he 
had  learned  not  to  think  of  himself  more  highly  than  he 
ought  to  think.  His  unaffected  modesty,  without  embarrass- 
ing or  painful  diffidence,  was  not  less  winning  than  his  elo- 
quence. 

"  I  do  not  remember  seeing  him  again  till  the  General  As- 
sembly of  1831,  —  an  assembly  famous  in  the  history  of  the 
Presbyterian  Church  in  the  United  States.  He  had,  in  the 
mean  time,  become  the  pastor  of  a  congregation  gathered  and 
organized  under  his  own  ministry  at  Albany,  and  his  spirit- 
ual sympathies  had  brought  him  out  of  the  Triangularism  of 
his  early  training  and  his  Princeton  studies,  into  the  light  of 
what  was  then  beginning  to  be  called,  in  the  Presbyterian 
Church,  '  New  School  Theology.'  As  a  preacher,  he  had 
found  the  need  of  a  gospel  which  should  offer  salvation,  not 
only  to  an  elected  portion  of  mankind,  but  to  all  men  as  sin- 
ners for  whom  Christ  has  died  ;  and  such  a  gospel  he  found 
in  the  Scriptures.  The  staid  orthodoxy  of  Albany  Presby- 
terianism  was  more  than  half  afraid  of  him.  He  was  more 
than  suspected  of  sympathy  with  Mr.  Finney,  whose  name 
had  become  a  terror  to  conservative  and  judicious  men  how- 
ever imbued  with  New  England  theology.  Dr.  Beman,  of 
Troy,  whose  election  to  the  moderatorship  of  that  General 
Assembly  had  alarmed  the  Triangulars,  was  his  admired 
and  honored  friend.  The  religious  awakenings  of  the  period, 
which  had  their  beginning  in  Northern  and  Central  New 
York,  had  in  some  respects  made  a  new  man  of  him,  —  or,  at 


TRAITS   AND   SOURCES   OF  POWER   AS   A    MINISTER.     333 

least,  a  new  preacher.  If  lie  bad  ever  been  hampered  with 
the  theory  that  the  relation  of  God's  word  to  the  regenera- 
tion of  sinful  men  is  not  really  the  relation  of  means  to  end, 
but  is  only  like  the  relation  of  the  sounding  rams'-horns  to 
the  falling  of  the  walls  of  Jericho,  he  had  got  rid  of  that  in- 
cumbrance. Already  he  was  beginning  to  have  a  measure 
of  celebrity,  as  a  preacher  who  could  command  the  attention 
of  hearers,  and  under  whose  presentation  of  the  gospel  men 
felt  that  the  doctrine  of  the  cross  is  the  power  of  God  to  sal- 
vation. I  suspect  that  few  at  the  present  time  are  aware 
how  difficult  it  was  in  those  days,  for  a  young  preacher, 
whether  trained  at  Princeton  or  at  Andover,  to  break  through 
the  network  of  traditional  and  metaphysical  difficulties  about 
'  inability '  and  the  sinner's  dependence  on  the  electing 
sovereignty  of  God  —  how  difficult  to  preach  with  an  un- 
swerving and  unembarrassed  conviction  of  the  divine  sincer- 
ity in  the  offer  of  eternal  life  to  every  hearer  of  the  gospel. 
The  New  School  divines  were  struggling,  as  their  predeces- 
sors had  struggled,  to  solve  old  paradoxes,  and  to  demon- 
strate the  consistency  of  doctrines  that  seemed  to  contradict 
each  other.  But  already  in  1831  the  young  man  Kirk  had 
risen  (ma}^  I  not  say  ?)  above  such  difficulties.  Without  re- 
jecting any  formulated  doctrine  in  the  consensus  of  Calvinis- 
tic  theologians  —  without  exhausting  his  hearers  or  himself 
in  the  logical  discriminations  and  refinements  by  which  New 
Divinity,  from  the  days  of  Edwards,  had  maintained  its 
position  as  the  only  '  consistent  Calvinism,'  he  had  become, 
I  think,  unconscious  of  any  conflict  between  God's  eternal 
and  sovereign  providence  and  the  freedom  of  responsible 
creatures,  or  between  the  ability  of  sinful  men  to  repent  and 
their  dependence  on  God  to  give  them  repentance.  Having 
a  gospel  to  preach,  he  preached  it  as  good  tidings,  expecting 
it  to  take  effect,  and  not  doubting  that  those  who  heard  him 
could  accept  its  offers.  I  do  not  remember  that,  then  or 
afterwards,  I  had  any  talk  with  him,  distinctly,  on  the  ques- 
tions that  were  in  those  years  the  subjects  of  theological 
controversy,  but,   then   and   thenceforward,   it  was    evident 


384  LIFE   OF  EDWARD  NORRIS   KIRK. 

that  if  ever  he  had  been  embarrassed  (as  so  many  were  and 
still  are)  by  the  metaphysics  of  theology,  no  such  embarrass- 
ment remained  in  his  conception  of  the  gospel  or  of  its  rela- 
tion to  his  hearers. 

"  His  reputation  as  an  effective  preacher  grew  year  by  year. 
Consequently  his  aid  was  often  sought  by  other  pastors  in 
times  of  religious  revival.  Some  who  disliked  the  methods 
and  feared  the  influence  of  professional  revivalists,  were  glad 
of  his  help,  because  he  was  a  pastor  and  knew  the  heart  of  a 
pastor.  I  am  not  sure  that  I  remember  correctly  all  the 
occasions  on  which  he  visited  New  Haven  to  help  us.  He 
was  here  a  little  while  in  1837  ;  and  again,  in  the  winter  of 
1840-41  ;  and  again,  ten  years  later,  in  my  absence  from  the 
country.  Sometimes,  on  those  occasions,  he  was  a  guest  in 
my  family ;  and  we  found  his  presence  under  our  roof  a  priv- 
ilege and  a  joy.  Sometimes  he  was  at  Dr.  Taylor's ;  and 
wide  as  was  the  difference  between  him  and  the  great  theo- 
logian in  their  special  gifts  and  aptitudes,  there  was  a  bond 
of  the  closest  sympathy  between  them.  Dr.  Kirk  was  not 
more  a  '  revival  preacher '  than  was  Dr.  Taylor,  whose  ex- 
perience in  that  special  work  had  been  great,  both  in  his 
own  congregation  while  he  was  a  pastor  and  elsewhere  in 
later  years.  Indeed  the  chief  and  constant  aim  of  Dr.  Tay- 
lor's studies  in  theology  was -not  speculative  for  speculation's 
sake,  but  practical  for  the  sake  of  converting  men  to  God. 
He  studied  and  argued  that  he  might  disentangle  the  gospel 
from  misinterpretations  put  upon  it  by  erroneous  philosophy. 
If  he  elaborated  fresh  statements  of  old  doctrines,  it  was,  at 
first,  that  he  himself  in  his  own  pulpit,  and  afterwards,  that 
every  young  man  who  sat  before  him  in  his  lecture-room, 
might  preach  effectively,  as  Paul  preached,  '  by  manifesta- 
tion of  the  truth  commending  [himself]  to  every  man's  con- 
science in  the  sight  of  God.'  The  passion  of  his  life  was  so 
to  preach  —  and  to  instruct  and  train  his  pupils  so  to  preach 
■ —  that  conversions  should  follow,  not  at  some  future  day,  but 
immediately.  This  was  the  special  sympathy  between  him 
and  Brother  Kirk  ;  and  more  than  once,  when  sitting  in  the 


TRAITS   AND   SOURCES   OF  POWER  AS   A  MINISTER.     335 

same  pulpit  with  the  two,  I  have  seen  the  theologian,  as  the 
preacher  paused  for  a  moment,  prompting  him  with  a  whis- 
pered word  of  counsel,  such  as  '  Bear  down  a  little  more  on 
that  point ; '  or,  '  Follow  up  that  appeal.'  It  seemed  as  if 
their  mutual  interest  was  like  that  between  an  elder  brother 
and  a  younger. 

"  We  in  New  Haven  had  few  opportunities  of  becoming  ac- 
quainted with  Dr.  Kirk  save  under  exceptionally  favorable 
conditions.  Preaching  to  great  assemblies  sensitive  with  re- 
ligious thankfulness  —  preaching  discourses  not  read  from 
manuscript  nor  recited  from  memory,  yet  with  every  thought 
and  illustration  familiar  to  his  mind —  he  gave  us,  I  think, 
the  best  specimens  of  his  power  as  a  preacher ;  and  that  was 
all  that  the  most  of  us  knew  about  him  otherwise  than  by 
report.  Yet,  for  myself,  I  can  say  that,  meeting  him  from 
time  to  time  at  the  '  anniversaries  '  and  elsewhere,  and  con- 
ferring with  him  in  various  consultations  for  the  common 
cause,  I  had  occasion  to  see  the  depth  and  vividness  of  his 
interest  in  all  sorts  of  Christian  enterprises.  The  breadth 
of  his  sympathies  gave  him  breadth  of  vision  ;  and  he  was 
large-minded  because  his  heart  was  large.  His  personal  re- 
lation to  the  revival  and  extension  of  evangelical  Christianity 
in  France  and  Switzerland  did  not  diminish  his  interest  in 
missions  to  Turkey  or  China.  His  mind  and  heart,  and  his 
eloquent  voice,  were  ready  in  any  reasonable  and  hopeful 
work  for  our  own  country.  In  the  temperance  reformation 
he  had  a  leading  part  from  the  beginning.  In  the  conflict 
with  slavery  he  was  never  wanting,  —  not  even  when  power- 
ful organizations,  making  unctuous  profession  of  godliness, 
sustained  by  most  honored  names  in  church  and  state,  and 
formidable  in  the  strength  of  accumulated  capital,  were 
demanding  '  the  approbation  of  all  evangelical  Christians ' 
for  methods  of  evangelization  on  a  '  catholic  basis  '  which 
would  permit  no  word  of  protest  against  the  wickedness  of 
one  man's  selling  another  man's  wife  and  children  by  virtue 
of  a  pretended  right  paramount  to  the  divine  right  of  the 
husband  and  father.     It  is  difficult  for  young  men  (and,  per- 


336  LIFE   OF  EDWARD   NORMS   KIRK. 

Imps,  for  some  old  men  also)  to  conceive  and  understand 
that  only  twenty  years  ago  we  were  fighting  that  battle. 
But  such  is  the  fact ;  and,  as  I  remember  the  conflict,  I  thank 
God  that,  by  his  grace,  Edward  Norris  Kirk  was  on  the 
right  side." 

Among  the  many  and  diversified  labors  of  Dr.  Kirk  there 
are,  perhaps,  none  which  in  their  entireness  more  fully  reveal 
the  man  than  did  his  connection  with  the  world-renowned 
Mount  Holyoke  Seminary.  The  methods  and  characteristics 
employed  and  exhibited  in  his  large  parish,  were  there  exhib- 
ited in  their  peculiar  beauty.  In  a  cordial  response  to  our  re- 
quest, Professor  William  S.  Tyler,  D.  D.,  of  Amherst  College, 
a  trustee  of  the  seminary  from  its  foundation,  has  writ- 
ten an  account  of  this  deeply  interesting  part  of  Dr.  Kirk's 
life.  No  oue  so  well  as  he  can  record  the  sacred  associations 
there  formed.     We  append  the  narrative  :  — 

"  Next  to  the  salvation  of  souls  and  the  emancipation  of  the  slaves,  in- 
cluding also  the  full  enfranchisement  and  elevation  of  the  freedmen,  per- 
haps Christian  education,  especially  in  our  colleges  and  higher  seminaries, 
was  the  cause  that  lay  nearest  his  heart.  I  shall  never  forget  the  lively  and 
persistent  interest  which  he  manifested  in  the  Premium  Essay  on  Prayer 
for  Colleges,  published  by  the  Western  College  Association  in  1855,  and 
reissued  in  so  many  forms  and  editions  since.  As  a  member  of  the  com- 
mittee that  awarded  the  prize,  he  became  interested  in  the  essay,  and 
spared  neither  time  nor  pains  for  improving  the  book  and  extending  its 
circulation.  After  the  prize  had  been  awarded,  he  visited  the  author  at 
Amherst  for  this  express  pm-pose;  and  we  read  the  entire  essay  over 
together,  praying  as  we  read  and  revising  as  we  prayed.  The  whole 
subject  was  familiar  and  congenial  to  him.  Both  parts  of  it —  Prayer 
and  Prayer  for  Colleges — -touched  his  own  experience  and  moved  his 
heart.  His  criticisms  were  not  numerous,  but  free  and  at  once  generous 
and  just.  His  suggestions  were  rich.  Both  in  matter  and  manner  the 
essay  was  much  improved  and  enriched  by  this  revision.  And  it  illus- 
trated at  once  the  variety  of  his  attainments  and  the  kindness  of  his 
heart,  that  he  took  the  occasion  to  intersperse  not  a  few  valuable  sug- 
gestions, incidental  lessons  they  might  be  called,  in  reading  and  elocu- 
tion, which  none  who  knew  him  will  doubt  he  was  admirably  qualified  to 
give,  and  which  the  writer  ordy  wishes  he  had  been  able  more  fully  to 
appropriate  and  apply. 


TRAITS   AND   SOURCES   OF  POWER  AS   A  MINISTER.     337 

"  The  first  visit  of  Mr.  Kirk  to  Mount  Holyoke  Seminary  was  in  1844, 
when  he  delivered  the  annual  address  at  the  anniversary.  A  printed 
copy  of  the  address  lies  before  me.  The  title-page  reads  as  follows: 
'  The  Greatness  of  the  Human  Soul.  An  Address  delivered  at  the 
Seventh  Anniversary  of  the  Mount  Holyoke  Seminary,  South  Hadley, 
Mass.,  August  1,  1844.' 

"Mr.  Kirk's  interest  in  Mount  Holyoke  Seminary  began  at  a  still 
earlier  period,  at  the  house  of  Deacon  Safford  in  Boston,  where  he  first 
met  Miss  Lyon,  and  not  only  found  in  her  a  kindred  spirit,  but  in  the 
Christian  school,  in  the  founding  and  upholding  of  which  Miss  Lyon  and 
Deacon  and  Mrs.  Safford  had  so  set  their  hearts,  an  object  in  which  his 
sympathies  could  not  but  be  easily  and  heartily  enlisted.  It  was  not, 
however,  until  after  the  death  of  Miss  Lyon  that  he  became  officially  con- 
nected with  the  seminary,  or  began  to  labor  for  the  religious  welfare  of 
the  teachers  and  pupils. 

"  His  second  visit  was  in  June,  1855,  when  Deacon  Safford  came  up 
on  one  of  his  frequent  labors  of  love  and  care  for  the  external  affairs  of 
the  seminary,  and  Mrs.  Safford  and  Mr.  Kirk  accompanied  him.  '  It  was 
within  six  weeks  of  the  close  of  the  school  year,'  writes  Miss  Chapin, 
who  was  then  and  for  many  years  after  principal  of  the  seminary,  '  and 
we  had  already  begun  to  feel  the  pressure  of  the  closing  days.  I  do  not 
think  the  idea  of  special  religious  effort  for  our  school  at  that  time  had  oc- 
curred to  any  of  us.  In  fact,  if  it  had  been  suggested,  I  suspect  it  would 
have  seemed  inopportune.  Our  friends  came  Thursday,  the  day  of  our 
weekly  religious  meeting,  and  Dr.  Kirk  spoke  to  us  in  the  evening.  In 
reply  to  his  remark  as  we  were  going  into  the  hall,  that  he  would  like  to 
give  an  invitation  to  inquirers  to  meet  him  for  conversation,  I  told  him 
frankly  that  I  would  be  glad  to  have  him  do  so,  but  I  feared  there  would 
not  be  a  ready  response  on  account  of  the  pressure  of  the  season.  At 
the  opening  of  the  service,  Dr.  Kirk  said,  if  there  were  any  present  seek- 
ing the  Saviour,  who  felt  that  human  sympathy  and  counsel  could  avail 
them  anything,  he  would  invite  them  to  come  to  him  as  to  an  elder  brother, 
and  made  an  appointment  to  meet  any  such  inquiring  ones  at  my  room 
at  the  close  of  the  meeting.  The  subject  of  the  evening's  discourse  was 
the  Parable  of  the  Prodigal  Son.  More  than  twenty  availed  themselves 
of  the  opportunity  for  personal  conversation,  and  at  least  one  that  even- 
ing found  peace  in  believing.  Dr.  Kirk  spoke  to  us  at  our  Friday  morn- 
ing prayers,  and  also,  by  request  of  the  school,  held  an  extra  service  in 
the  evening,  and  on  both  occasions  the  Spirit  seemed  to  give  him  just  the 
right  words  for  our  instruction.  As  opportunity  offered,  he  conversed 
with  a  large  number  of  our  pupils,  always,  I  think,  closing  the  conversa- 
tion with  prayer.  Christians  in  darkness  and  doubt  and  backsliding,  as 
well  as  impenitent  ones,  of  their  own  accord  came  to  him  for  counsel.  The 
work  grew  upon  his  hands,  and  he  remained  until  he  was  called  home  by 
22 


338  LIFE   OF  EDWARD  NORRIS   KIRK. 

an  engagement  with  his  own  people.  In  two  weeks  he  returned  accord- 
ing to  promise,  to  take  up  the  work  where  he  had  left  it,  and  remained 
from  Thursday  till  Monday.  Again  he  came  the  Saturday  before  anni- 
versary, and  remained  till  the  close  of  our  school  exercises I 

think  many  who  heard  him  that  last  Sabbath  evening  on  the  text,  "  Re- 
deeming the  Time,"  will  long  remember  his  words:  "  In  all  the  future  let 
your  religious  duties  be  supreme.  I  must  meet  the  Bible:  I  must  meet 
the  Cross;  I  must  meet  Christ.  This  should  be  the  language  of  every 
heart  every  day.''''  There  were  at  least  thirteen  cases  of  hopeful  conver- 
sion in  connection  with  Dr.  Kirk's  labors  these  last  six  weeks.  But  I 
think  his  work  was  more  with  professing  Christians.  Many  of  these 
received  from  him  an  abiding  impulse  to  a  deeper,  holier,  more  earnest 
Christian  life. 

"  '  This  summer's  experience  opened  wide  to  him  the  door  to  the 
hearts  of  our  pupils.  They  ever  after  hailed  his  coming  with  joy.  In 
the  busiest  times,  when  their  studies  pressed  most  heavily,  they  always 
seemed  glad  to  listen  to  his  words  of  counsel.  They  looked  upon  him  as 
their  spiritual  guide.  They  kneiv  that  he  could  say  with  Paul,  "  God  is 
my  record,  how  greatly  I  long  after  you  all,"  —  for  your  conversion  — 
your  growth  in  grace  —  your  consecration  to  the  service  of  Christ.  We 
who  were  teachers  were  always  strengthened  and  encouraged  by  his 
coming.  From  this  time  onward  he  aimed,  as  far  as  other  duties  would 
allow,  to  visit  the  seminary  at  least  once  during  each  year,  that  he  might 
loin  souls  to  Christ.  He  was  frequently  there  on  the  day  of  prayer  for 
colleges  —  was  particularly  interested  in  being  there  at  that  time  because 
he  had  so  much  faith  in  prayer.'' 

"At  their  annual  meeting  in  August,  1856,  Dr.  Kirk  was  elected  a 
member  of  the  board  of  trustees.  In  1858  he  was  chosen  president  of 
the  board,  and  was  reelected  to  that  office  each  year  till  his  death  in 
1874.  It  was  in  1856  that  Deacon  Safford  was  removed  by  death,  after 
twenty  years  of  unwearied  and  most  unselfish  devotion  to  the  service  of 
the  seminary;  and  it  was  to  fill  the  place  of  that  faithful,  holy  man,  his 
intimate  friend  and  trusted  parishioner,  that  Dr.  Kirk  was  chosen  a  mem- 
ber of  the  board.  Miss  Lyon  had  also  finished  her  work  and  gone  to  her 
reward.  He  felt  that  he  was  baptized  for  the  dead,  and  was  called  by  a 
holy  calling  to  enter  into  their  labors  and  in  their  spirit  carry  on  their 
work . 

"  '  He  spent  two  or  three  weeks  with  us  in  the  winter  of  1859,'  writes 
one  who  was  then  a  member  of  the  Senior  Class  and  is  now  one  of  the 
associate  principals,  '  and  many  souls  were  given  him  as  the  reward 
of  his  labors,  though  probably  the  number  was  not  so  great  as  it  was  in 
some  of  the  following  years.  He  once  requested  the  young  ladies  to 
hand  him  written  questions  on  theological  and  practical  subjects,  and  ex- 
pressed surprise  that  so  many  of  them  related  to  the  Origin  of  Evil  and 


TRAITS  AND   SOURCES   OF   POWER  AS   A  MINISTER.     339 

the  Doctrine  of  Election.  He  interested  himself  in  the  class  work  and 
gave  some  stimulating  lectures  on  various  subjects.  I  remember  espec- 
ially one  on  elocution,  in  which  he  pointed  out  the  usual  faults  in  a 
young  lady's  style  of  reading  as  faithfully  as  he  would  have  done  in  any 
matter  affecting  the  salvation  of  her  soul.  The  impression  he  made  upon 
us  in  those  days  was  that  of  a  great  and  good  man  wholly  intent  upon 
drawing  us  away  from  that  aimless,  selfish  life  to  which  he  knew  so  well 
how  to  show  us  we  were  tempted,  to  one  of  earnest  consecration  to  Christ. 
He  came  again  at  the  close  of  that  school  year,  and  spoke  several  times 
anniversary  week,  always  on  the  same  theme.  The  graduating  class 
have  not  yet  forgotten  the  opening  sentence  of  his  address  to  them  be- 
fore presenting  their  diplomas:  'Young  ladies,  your  course  of  study  here 
is  now  closed.  It  remains  to  be  seen,  whether  you  are  to  live  for  self  or 
for  God.' 

"In  1862,  Dr.  Kirk  delivered  the  address  at  the  celebration  of  the 
Twenty-fifth  Anniversary  of  Mount  Holyoke  Seminary.  The  main 
points  in  the  address  were:  1.  A  rapid  sketch  of  the  life  and  character  of 
Miss  Lyon.  2.  The  distinctive  principles  and  spirit  of  Mount  Holyoke 
Seminary;  in  other  words,  the  chief  ends  for  which  it  was  founded,  and 
the  peculiar  plan  and  method  for  the  accomplishment  of  that  end.  3.  A 
concise  outline  of  the  history  of  the  seminary,  especially  its  religious  his- 
tory, during  the  first  quarter  century  of  its  existence.  4.  The  results, 
direct  and  indirect,  already  achieved  and  yet  to  be  anticipated,  and  some 
remarks  by  way  of  inference  and  application.  Miss  Lyon  he  regarded 
as  almost  the  impersonation  in  a  healthy  and  vigorous  body  of  strong  com- 
mon sense,  cultivated  intellect,  and  self-denying,  self-sacrificing  Christian 
love.  The  vital  principles  of  the  seminary,  as  stated  by  him,  are  the 
permanent  endowment  securing  a  thorough  course  of  study  at  a  moder- 
ate expense  to  the  pupil;  the  disinterested  spirit  and  the  soul-saving  la- 
bors of  the  teachers;  the  cultivation  of  the  missionary  spirit,  and  making 
usefulness  the  end  of  living  in  teachers  and  pupils.  In  reference  to  '  the 
housekeeping  department,'  '  about  which  much  has  been  said,  much  too 
unwisely,'  he  declares,  and  it  is  a  point  on  which  he  often  insisted  with 
great  earnestness,  that  Miss  Lyon's  main  motive  was  not  economy,  still 
less  to  teach  housekeeping,  but  '  to  honor  labor,  to  cultivate  independ- 
ence of  feeling,  unity,  kindness,  health,  and  energy.'  The  most  striking 
feature  in  his  summary  of  results  is  this :  '  Of  the  first  seven  senior  classes 
not  one  member  went  from  the  seminai-y  without  a  hope  in  Christ ;  we 
have  the  record  of  seven  hundred  and  thirty-nine  conversions  in  twenty 
years,  the  largest  number  in  one  year  having  been  seventy,  the  lowest 
definitely  recorded  twenty-five.'  The  spirit  of  his  application  may  be 
seen  in  his  address  to  the  teachers:  '  Let  me  remind  you  that  your  effi- 
ciency depends  on  two  grand  but  simple  principles  of  action  :  you  have 
forever  renounced   looking   out  for  ease,    honor,   emolument,    position, 


340  LIFE  OF  EDWARD  NORMS  KIRK. 

power,  pleasure  in  the  world ;  you  walk  daily,  hourly  in  the  very  light  of 
your  Saviour's  presence.  The  instant  you  come  down  to  the  common 
ground  of  self-seeking,  you  part  company  with  Mary  Lyon  and  you  be- 
tray her  dear  seminary.     May  her  Saviour  keep  you,  as  He  kept  her. ' 

"  The  year  1863-64  was  distinguished  by  the  most  remarkable  out- 
pouring of  the  Spirit  perhaps  in  the  whole  history  of  the  seminary.  The 
last  work  of  Fidelia  Fisk's  holy  and  useful  life  was  done  (largely  in 
her  own  room  and  under  great  bodily  weakness)  in  tbat  revival;  and 
her  account  of  it  is  given  in  the  twenty-seventh  chapter  of  her  Memoir, 
which  is  entitled  '  Last  Labors  at  South  Hadley.'  I  have  before  me  a 
full  narrative  of  it  in  the  Annual  Report  of  the  principal  (Miss  Chapin), 
made  at  the  close  of  the  year  to  the  trustees.  Gladly  would  I  copy  the 
whole,  but  I  must  confine  myself  to  that  part  of  it  which  narrates  the  la- 
bors of  Dr.  Kirk.  At  the  beginning  of  the  year  there  were  one  hundred 
and  twelve  of  the  pupils  without  hope  in  Christ.  Of  these  from  thirty 
to  thirty-five  were  hopefully  converted  in  the  first  term  or  near  the  be- 
ginning of  the  second.  But  the  large  number  of  those  especially  in  the 
upper  classes,  who  were  still  unconverted,  and  the  low  standard  of 
Christian  living  among  professors  of  religion  and  young  converts,  showed 
the  necessity  of  a  more  copious  effusion  of  the  Spirit.  The  teachers 
deeply  felt  this  necessity,  and  their  prayers  and  efforts  had  already  been 
blessed  in  the  reclaiming  of  backsliders  and  the  quickening  of  Christians, 
when  about  the  middle  of  February  Dr.  Kirk  visited  the  seminary. 
'  He  addressed  the  ■  school  Tuesday  evening,  Thursday  morning,  and 
Friday  evening.  At  the  first  two  meetings  there  was  an  appearance  of 
solemnity  and  a  manifestation  of  tenderness  of  feeling  that  gave  evi- 
dence of  the  working  of  the  Spirit.  Friday  evening  the  Holy  Ghost 
came  down  upon  us  with  unwonted  power.  There  seemed  to  be  a  man- 
ifested presence  of  God  that  could  be  felt.  There  came  over  the  audience 
a  deep,  solemn  silence  that  was  almost  painful.  The  subject  of  Dr. 
Kirk's  discourse  was,  "  Choose  ye  this  day  whom  ye  will  serve."  1  There 
was  no  appeal  to  the  feelings,  but  a  strong  setting  forth  of  the  claims  of 
God  upon  the  service  of  the  heart  and  life.  It  seemed  as  though  every 
impenitent  soul  was  brought  to  face  the  question  :  "  "Will  I  choose  God 
or  self,  holiness  or  sin,  heaven  or  hell?  "  Such  of  those  who  had  not 
chosen  the  service  of  God  as  wished  an  opportunity  for  personal  conver- 
sation were  invited  to  remain  after  the  close  of  the  service.  [Dr.  Kirk's 
usual  method  at  the  seminary  was  to  invite  inquirers  to  meet  him  at  a 
private  room.'}  The  benediction  was  pronounced,  but  not  one  moved 
from  her  seat.  They  seemed  afraid  to  break  the  spell  that  was  upon  us. 
I  indicated  to  those  near  me  that  they  might  go.  Slowly  and  silently 
they  went  out,  but  their  thoughts  were  with  those  they  left  behind  ;  and 

l  Dr.  Kirk  is  remembered  to  have  said  been  blessed  to  the  conversion  of  the  great- 
that  of  all  his  sermons  that  on  this  text  had     est  number  of  souls. 


TRAITS  AND   SOURCES   OF  POWER  AS   A  MINISTER.     341 

we  knew  that  many  Christians  went,  singly  and  in  groups,  to  plead  for 
them  at  the  throne  of  grace.  Teachers  with  each  other  and  with  pupils, 
and  pupils  with  each  other,  moved  with  one  impulse,  poured  out  their 
hearts  with  strong  crying  and  tears.  About  forty  remained  for  conver- 
sation. The  scenes  of  that  hour  I  will  not  attempt  to  describe.  I  never 
before  had  such  an  impression  of  the  mighty  working  of  the  Holy 
Spirit. ' 

"  At  the  urgent  written  request  of  one  hundred  and  forty  students,  a 
part  of  them  irreligious,  Saturday  was  for  the  most  part  given  up  to  pri- 
vate and  social  prayer.  '  Monday  evening  seventy-five  attended  a  meet- 
ing of  young  converts.  A  large  proportion  of  the  forty  who  remained 
for  conversation  Friday  evening  were  found  at  this  meeting.  A  few 
have  since  been  added  to  this  number,  making  about  eighty-five  in  all. 
Deducting  those  who  have  left  the  seminary  during  the  year,  only  nine- 
teen remain  of  those  one  hundred  and  twelve  who  came  to  us  without 

hope  at  the  beginning  of  the  year I  believe  that  one  of  the 

deepest  impressions  left  on  the  minds  of  teachers  and  pupils  by  this  re- 
vival is  that  prayer  is  a  reality,  that  it  has  power  with  God.'  '  Another 
feature  or  result  of  the  work  is  the  going  out  of  the  heart  in  prayer  and 
labor  for  friends  away.'  At  the  instance  of  Miss  Fisk,  the  young  con- 
verts generally  wrote  letters  to  their  unconverted  friends.  The  last  even- 
ing of  the  term  was  given  to  prayer  for  friends  at  home.  And  not  a 
few  conversions,  and  at  least  one  revival,  seemed  to  be  the  result  of  these 
prayers  and  efforts. 

"  While  Dr.  Kirk  labored  thus  for  the  religious  welfare  of  the  school, 
he  was  scarcely  less  anxious  to  secure  the  highest  standard  of  teaching 
and  scholarship  in  language,  literature,  science,  and  art.  He  had  private 
interviews  with  individual  teachers,  sometimes  also  with  pupils,  in  which 
with  Socratic  patience  and  skill,  and  very  much  in  the  manner  of  Socra- 
tes himself,  he  conversed  with  them  about  their  studies,  drew  out  from 
them  by  question  and  answer  their  difficulties  and  dangers,  pointed  out 
to  them  their  errors  and  defects,  encouraged  them  if  they  were  too  diffi- 
dent and  desponding,  and  taught  them  to  seek  and,  so  far  as  possible,  to 
realize  the  highest  ideals.  He  went  into  the  classes,  and  there,  in  like 
manner,  set  before  teachers  and  pupils  the  true  idea  of  the  science,  the 
art,  the  author,  or  the  book  they  were  studying,  and  the  best  methods 
of  study  and  of  recitation.  The  pronunciation  of  Latin,  the  study  of 
the  modern  languages,  and  reading,  elocution,  singing,  were  subjects  in 
which  he  felt  an  especial  interest  and  made  his  influence  felt  in  the  sem- 
inary. He  wrote  letters,  sometimes  to  the  principal,  to  solve  her  doubts, 
relieve  her  personal  or  official  perplexities,  and  stay  up  her  hands  when 
they  grew  weary  and  seemed  ready  to  faint;  sometimes  to  the  corps  of 
teachers,  insisting  on  the  necessity  of  keeping  Mount  Holyoke  Seminary 
ever  in  the  foremost  rank  of  schools  and  colleges  for  the  sex,  as  in  Chris- 


342  LIFE   OF  EDWARD   NORMS   KIRK. 

tian  character  and  life  so  in  the  standard  of  scientific  attainment,  literary 
culture,  and  all  high  and  true  womanhood ;  sometimes  to  the  whole  school, 
impressing  upon  teachers  and  pupils  alike  their  responsibility,  not  only 
for  making  the  most  of  the  best  there  was  in  themselves  as  individuals, 
but  also  for  making  the  seminary,  both  in  learning  and  in  religion,  all 
that  Mary  Lyon  and  the  other  noble  founders  intended  it  to  be  ;  nay, 
more  than  all  that  they  ever  imagined  it  could  become. 

"Thus,  as  early  as  1857,  he  addressed  to  the  whole  school  a  letter 
from  Paris,  in  which,  after  a  graphic  sketch  of  the  brilliancy  and  yet  the 
spiritual  degradation  and  misery  of  the  people  by  whom  he  was  sur- 
rounded, he  takes  occasion  to  write  a  concise  but  highly  instructive  lect- 
ure on  the  lessons  of  foreign  travel  and  the  study  of  history,  and  then 
concludes  as  follows  :  — 

"  '  But  young  as  our  country  is,  afflicted  as  it  is  with  a  national  evil  that 
threatens  to  involve  the  whole  people  in  its  destructive  influences,  yet 
you  may  be  content  that  you  were  not  born  in  Europe,  and  that  your 
field  of  labor  is  America.  The  part  that  country  is  to  bear  in  future 
history  seems  hardly  questionable,  if  it  survives  the  struggle  through 
which  it  is  now  passing.  But  its  future  influence  depends  on  its  future 
character.  And  to  what  an  extent  is  that  in  the  hands  of  the  women  of 
America!  If  that  fact,  my  young  friends,  inflates  your  vanity,  then  you 
will  not  be  the  women  of  whom  it  will  be  true.  If  it  enkindle  in  you  no- 
ble aspirations  to  be  qualified  to  aid  in  forming  a  truly  great  people,  if  it 
press  you  with  a  sense  of  your  responsibility,  and  bring  you  often  to  the 
mercy-seat,  then  you  will  have  that  honor.  Oh,  avoid  the  dreams  of 
those  of  your  sex  who  are  content  to  aspire  after  great  influence,  but  riot 
willing  to  qualify  themselves  for  the  greatest  usefulness.  You  know  that 
the  first  element  of  usefulness  is  disinterestedness,  that  which  so  eminently 
characterized  your  institution's  illustrious  founder.  Nothing  is  more  un- 
becoming to  the  hallowed  walls  that  surround  you  and  the  sacred  ground 
that  surrounds  her  resting-place,  than  selfishness  and  female  vanity. 
Rejoice  in  the  privilege  of  living  in  a  house  and  feeling  the  power  of  a 
discipline  which  still  bears  so  much  of  her  impress  and  so  strongly  stimu- 
lates you  to  a  Christ-like  benevolence My  dear  young  friends, 

if  you  continue  to  manifest  that  spirit,  they  who  teach,  we  who  watch 
over  you,  yea,  perhaps  they  who  on  earth  enshrined  this  school  in  their 
inmost  hearts  and  who  still  love  it,  will  rejoice  and  give  glory  to  God. 

"  '  I  do  not  write  so  much  to  instruct  or  even  to  counsel  you,  as  to 
signify  to  you  that,  though  far  away,  I  do  not  become  indifferent  to  your 
welfare  nor  cease  to  pray  for  your  intellectual  and  religious  progress. 
The  blessing  of  the  Highest  be  on  you. 

"  '  Your  affectionate  friend, 

"'Edward  N.  Kirk. 

"'Paius,  May  21,  1857.' 


TRAITS   AND   SOURCES   OF  POWER  AS   A  MINISTER.     343 

"  His  addresses  to  the  graduating  class  from  year  to  year  at  the  anni- 
versary were  very  much  in  the  same  strain.  The  following  is  from  his 
address  to  the  class  of  1871 :  — 

"  '  You  have  selected  a  noble  motto.  Were,  you  aware  of  its  beautiful, 
comprehensive  ambiguity?  Was  that  your  purpose?  If  so,  I  echo  it  in 
the  fullness  of  its  meaning:  — 

"Non  nobis  solum" 

breathes  the  humblest  spirit  of  Christian  dependence,  the  loftiest  aspira- 
tion of  Christian  heroism.  Not  by  our  created  strength  and  wisdom, 
not  to  our  selfish  earthly  ends  will  we  live.  This  disengages  you  from 
earth,  identifies  your  will  with  God's,  girds  you  with  supernatural 
strength  for  every  work  and  conflict,  elevates  your  toil,  purifies  your 
affections,  makes  your  earthly  life  celestial,  dear  young  friends.  Write 
your  motto,  each  in  her  inmost  heart:  '  Not  of  myself,  not  to  myself.' 
A  thousand  paths  stretch  out  from  the  gate  of  this  school.  Which  have 
you  chosen?  On  which  will  your  feet  alight?  May  the  God  of  all 
grace  guide  that  step.  Nobis,  or  non  nobis  ?  That  is  the  momentous 
question.  Has  all  your  learning  come  to  this,  that  you  have  found 
nothing  nobler  to  live  for  than  the  petty  gratification  of  selfish  desires, 
nothing  stronger  to  lean  upon  than  an  arm  of  flesh?  To-day  we  would 
exhort  you  by  all  that  is  beautiful  and  glorious  in  living  for  God  and  your 
race,  by  all  the  purest  joys  and  sublimest  honors  of  an  eternity  in  heaven, 
to  give  your  entire  selves  to  Christ,  to  make  his  glory  your  chief  aim,  to 
live  on  his  promises,  gird  yourselves  with  his  strength;  and  in  that 
strength  go  forth  to  make  this  poor  human  race  as  good  and  as  blessed 
as  possible.' 

"  From  those  general  exhortations,  he  proceeds  to  speak  of  the  great 
debt  which  every  pupil  owes  to  Mount  Holyoke  Seminary,  and,  in  six  par- 
ticulars, to  suggest  how  that  debt  is  to  be  paid.  Of  these  particulars 
the  first  is  so  fundamental  and  so  characteristic  of  Dr.  Kirk  as  well  as  of 
Mary  Lyon  and  the  institution  which  she  founded,  that  I  cannot  with- 
hold a  part  of  it  :  — 

"  '  1.  Get  clear  views  of  the  principles  which  characterize  this  institu- 
tion, of  its  spirit  and  its  aims.  Acquaint  yourself  with  Mary  Lyon, 
and  that  which  distinguished  her  among  women,  yes,  among  Christian 
women.  She  lived  wholly  for  Christ.  None  that  knew  her  can  recall 
the  action  that  aimed  at  exalting  herself.  She  saw  the  piety  of  her  day 
commingled  with  worldliness,  ambition,  petty  jealousies,  low  aims,  self- 
seeking.  She  saw  that  woman  had  not  come  up  to  the  height  to  which 
Christ  would  exalt  her.  And  she  laid  herself  upon  the  altar  for  Christ 
and  her  sex.     Her  life  work  was  to  found  a  school  in  which  the  heart 


344  LIFE   OF   EDWARD  NORMS   KIRK. 

should  be  educated  with  the  mind ;  but  the  heart  for  its  own  sake,  the 
mind  as  the  instrument  of  a  benevolent  Christ-like  heart  to  bless  a  per- 
ishing world.  She  regarded  no  gift  as  bestowed  on  a  woman  for  that 
woman's  sake,  to  make  her  the  focus  of  admiring  eyes,  but  as  an  instru- 
ment for  Christ  to  employ  in  executing  his  benevolent  purposes.  Sbe 
looked  on  the  education  of  woman  as  the  process  of  developing  her  facul- 
ties to  work  for  Christ's  glory  and  human  welfare,  apart  from  fashion, 
display,  luxury,  and  frivolity.  It  is  a  paltry  conception  of  her  sublime 
work  and  of  this  school,  to  suppose  that  she  chiefly  designed  to  make 
housekeepers,  teachers,  missionaries,  or  missionaries'  wives.  I  say  pal- 
try, not  as  underrating  these  positions,  but  simply  to  show  the  narrowness 
of  many  who  regard  their  own  views  as  very  broad  and  peculiarly  re- 
fined. She  did  not  dispense  with  servants  for  economy's  sake  but  for 
higher  reasons.  She  sought  to  educate  woman:  to  send  out  into  the 
world  fully  developed  Christian  women,  with  minds  enlarged,  with  facul- 
ties disciplined,  with  taste  and  manners  refined,  with  a  preparation  to 
take  their  place  among  the  cultivated  anywbere,  but  preeminently  unself- 
ish women,  women  who  still  enter  any  neighborhood  with  the  supreme 
aim  of  being  a  blessing  to  it.  I  charge  you  to  go  forth  prepared  to  de- 
tect the  spirit  of  selfishness  as  it  characterizes  the  world  and  disfigures 
the  church,  and  understand  that  you  have  failed  to  be  educated  just  so 
far  as  your  natural  selfishness  remains.' 

"In  1873,  at  the  close  of  a  visit  to  the  seminary,  he  addressed  the 
following  note  to  the  corps  of  teachers :  — 

'"  Respected  Friends,  —  My  present  visit  to  this  beloved  institution 
has  awakened  in  me  new  convictions  of  the  responsibility  of  the  trustees 
who  are  selected  to  watch  over  its  sacred  interests.  I  am  impelled  to 
propose  to  you  several  questions,  the  answers  to  which  may  enable  us  to 
aid  you  more  effectually  to  put  in  execution  your  noblest  plans  and  to 
keep  this  institution  where  its  founder  placed  it,  and  where  we  fully  be- 
lieve she  would  place  it,  if  permitted  still  to  watch  over  and  guide  it. 

"  '  I.  What  do  you  consider  to  be  the  present  state  of  the  seminary  : 
1.  As  compared  with  its  past  history.  2.  As  compared  with  the  most 
advanced  schools  and  colleges? 

"  'II.  What  are  the  improvements  in  the  mode  and  means  of  educa- 
tion  which  ought  to  be  made  here  V 

"  '  What  can  the  trustees  do  in  order  to  enable  you  to  realize  your 
highest  aims  ?  .  .  .  .  Respectfully  yours, 

il  '  Edward  N.  Kirk.' 

"  Excelsior  was  always  Dr.  Kirk's  motto,  as  in  religion,  so  also  in 
education  —  as  for  himself,  so  for  the  church,  for  the  school,  for  all  indi- 


TRAITS  AND   SOURCES  OF  POWER   AS  A  MINISTER.     345 

vidually  and  collectively  for  whom  he  was  in  any  way  responsible,  over 
whom  he  could  exert  any  influence.  He  would  have  his  beloved  Mount 
Holyoke  Seminary  abreast  of  '  the  most  advanced  schools  and  colleges,' 
with  the  most  advanced  and  ever  advancing  curriculum  standard  of 
scholarship,  methods  of  teaching,  ways  and  means  of  education.  The 
last  letter  I  ever  received  from  him  was  full  of  this  matter,  and  was 
written  for  the  purpose  of  enlisting  more  fully  the  cooperation  of  the 
Amherst  professors,  especially  those  who  are  trustees  of  Mount  Holyoke. 
The  last  letters  that  he  wrote  to  the  principal  manifest  the  deepest  in- 
terest in  the  erection  of  the  new  building  for  science  and  art ;  and  in 
more  than  one  he  has  sketched  a  plan  for  the  building  with  his  unsteady 
hand  and  imperfect  vision.  He  was  greatly  interested  in  the  funds  for 
the  building,  yet  curiously  he  always  insisted  that  he  had  no  capacity  for 
begging,  and  strangely  enough  the  direct  solicitation  of  funds  was  the 
only  thing  that  he  was  not  willing  to  do  for  the  institution. 

"  While  he  contended  earnestly  for  the  faith  and  spirit  of  the  founders, 
and  insisted  on  keeping  the  seminary  true  to  the  principles  on  which 
and  the  purposes  for  which  it  was  established,  he  was  never  afraid  of 
changes  and  innovations  that  were  in  the  line  of  real  progress.  Indeed, 
he  often  remarked  that  the  seminary  was  one  great  innovation,  and 
Miss  Lyon  herself  was  the  greatest  of  innovators.  Hence,  besides  im- 
provements in  the  curriculum  and  in  the  manner  of  teaching,  he  strongly 
favored  the  introduction  of  a  resident  doctress  instead  of  employing  out- 
side doctors,  and  it  was  with  great  satisfaction  that  he  saw  a  well  edu- 
cated female  physician  established  in  the  school  and  prescribing  for  her 
sisters  with  a  skill  and  success,  to  say  the  least,  fully  equal  to  the  medical 
practice  from  without  which  was  thus  superseded.  He  had  no  fear  of 
modern  science,  but  often  expressed  a  wish  that  he  were  young  again  to 
grapple  with  its  problems,  and  always  encouraged  teachers  and  pupils  in 
the  fearless  investigation  of  all  truth,  though  it  ought  always  to  be  in 
a  humble,  teachable,  and  believing  spirit.  '  Why  don't  he  say  God  ?  ' 
was  his  indignant  exclamation  as  he  heard  some  one  reading  to  him  the 
report  of  TyndalPs  lectures,  and  saw  how  '  nature  '  had  usurped  the 
place  which  belonged  to  Him. 

"  He  never  let  slip  an  opportunity  to  drop  a  word  in  season  that 
would  be  remembered,  to  teach  a  lesson  that  was  needed,  'to  help  all 
who  were  about  him  in  every  way  possible,  from  the  sublimest  doctrines 
of  theology  down  to  the  smallest  points  of  etiquette.'  '  During  one  of 
his  visits  to  the  seminary,'  writes  a  teacher,  '  I  passed  through  the  par- 
lor where  he  was  sitting  alone  in  his  half  blindness.  He  put  out  his 
hand  to  stop  me  and  said  very  earnestly,  "Do  you  love  Jesus,  my 
child?" 

"  '  While  two  of  us  were  conversing  with  him  one  afternoon,  he  said 
suddenly,  "  Do  you  understand  the  difference  between  the  new  and  old 


346  LIFE   OF  EDWARD  NORMS   KIRK. 

school  of  New  England  theology?"  Then  followed  a  careful  explana- 
tion of  what  he  considered  the  important  distinctions,  our  ignorant  ques- 
tions only  calling  forth  the  most  patient  and  painstaking  answers.  One 
hour  later  he  was  suggesting  to  a  little  group,  who  were  walking  with 
him  on  Prospect  Hill,  that  one  could  walk  with  more  ease  and  grace  by 
forming  the  habit  of  placing  the  foot  properly  upon  the  ground.  Nothing 
seemed  trivial  to  him  when  it  was  a  question  of  benefit  to  others.  And 
in  giving  such  lessons  or  making  his  suggestions,  he  united  a  keen  insight 
into  personal  deficiencies  with  a  gentleness  of  manner  that  disarmed  all 
offense.' 

"  '  Don't  you  remember,'  writes  a  former  pupil  to  the  principal,  '  when 
we  called  on  Dr.  Kirk  as  he  was  sitting  in  the  sunshine  at  the  farther 
end  of  the  room,  reading  his  Bible  ?  He  was  very  cordial,  and  you 
talked  with  him  about  seminary  matters  and  the  church  in  South  Had- 
ley;  and  then  the  subject  of  the  taxation  of  church  property  came  up. 
He  thought  it  was  a  subject  destined  to  come  before  the  people  more 
and  more  ;  and  he  was  decidedly  of  the  oj)inion  that  church  property 
should  be  taxed.  "  I  don't  give  up  any  of  my  manhood  by  being  a  min- 
ister," he  said.     Then  the  conversation  drifted  on  to  mental  philosophy. 

"  '  Who  could  describe  the  impression  he  produced  our  first  year  in  the 
seminary  —  so  real,  so  intense.  Was  it  the  power  of  a  strong  and  tender 
nature  Avith  God  in  it  ?  Was  it  his  dear  love  to  Christ  and  his  desire  to 
gather  souls  to  Him,  or  was  it  all  God  and  no  Dr.  Kirk  that  made  him 
such  a  blessing  ?  He  talked  so  earnestly,  right  out  of  his  heart,  that  it 
did  not  seem  like  preaching,  but  took  us  right  along.  Speaking  about 
humility  one  time,  he  said  he  used  to  imagine  it  was  a  little  white 
dove  that  came  and  perched  on  one's  shoulder,  but,  he  said,  it  was 
nothing  like  that  —  it  was  getting  right  down  before  God,  conscious  of 
our  sins.  How  we  all  admired  that  discourse  on  the  Two  Builders,  and 
how  his  whispered  "But  the  sand!"  thrilled  the  audience!  When  he 
preached  that  wonderful  sermon  on  the  Prodigal  Son  —  if  anything  so 
alive  could  be  called  a  sermon  —  it  was  as  if  Jesus  himself  were  there 
telling  the  story.  The  only  words  that  I  can  recall  are:  "  But  these 
rags."  Yet  the  effect  of  the  sermon  will  remain  through  eternal  ages, 
for,  as  he  spoke,  with  all  his  soul  in  the  words  and  God's  soul  in  them 
too,  something  within  my  heart  said,  "  I  will  arise  and  go  unto  my  Fa- 
ther." 

"I  have  been  struck  with  the  indelible  impression  which  Dr.  Kirk's 
words  made  on  so  many  of  the  pupils  at  South  Hadley.  Miss  Ward 
once  asked  the  members  of  her  senior  class  to  fill  out  the  last  quarter  of 
a  recitation  hour  by  each  of  them  putting  on  paper  something  she  re- 
membered of  or  from  Dr.  Kirk.  The  papers  which  they  wrote  —  anony- 
mous of  course  —  were  preserved  and  are  before  me.  One  remembered 
a  single  sentence,  another  an  illustration,  a  third  the  plan  of  a  discourse, 


TRAITS  AND   SOURCES   OF  POWER  AS   A  MINISTER.     347 

a  fourth  little  more  than  a  word  with  the  look  or  gesture  that  accom- 
panied it.  But  something  of  the  man  and  his  utterances  was  rooted  in 
every  memory.  A  volume  of  his  sayings  and  doings  could  doubtless  be 
collected  now  from  the  recollections  of  those  who  saw  and  heard  him  in 
his  visits  to  Mount  Holyoke  Seminary.  And  it  would  be  a  live  volume, 
full  of  living  thoughts  and  burning  words  on  the  greatest  variety  of  sub- 
jects. 

"The  following  extract  is  from  a  letter  without  date,  but  written  in 
1857  or  1858,  not  long  after  his  return  from  Europe.  It  is  addressed 
to  the  principal  of  the  seminary. 

"  'My  dear  Miss  Chapin,  —  I  am  here  again  [Boston],  too  busy  to 
look  after  my  flock  in  South  Hadley,  but  not  forgetful  of  them.  If  I 
should  make  out  a  course  of  lectures  on  Palestine,  it  would  be  pleasant 
and  profitable  to  deliver  them  to  your  household.  But  I  can  hardly 
count  upon  time  sufficient  for  that.  My  time  at  South  Hadley  is  all 
gold,  because  it  is  such  a  rich,  ripe  harvest-field  to  reap  for  souls. 
There  is  no  feature  of  the  institution  which  presents  it  to  me  in  so  im- 
pressive a  light  as  this.  I  can  go  there  and  find  such  a  group  of  young 
women  as  are  seldom  brought  together,  concerning  whom  Agur's  prayer 
has  been  ansicered,  spoiled  neither  by  poverty  nor  riches,  children  of  the 
covenant,  rightly  taught  at  home,  sance  menles  in  corporibu*  sanis ;  in  a 
school  consecrated  to  Christ;  under  discipline  completely  Christian;  sur- 
rounded by  an  atmosphere  of  prayer.  When  I  come,  everything  com- 
bines with  my  ministerial  labors,  every  heart  sympathizes  with  my  objects 
and  desires.  The  whole  arrangement  of  the  school  harmonizes  with  my 
plans.  You  may  be  sure  I  appreciate  my  privilege,  and  shall  always  be 
happy  when  other  claims  allow  me  to  labor  in  your  house.' 

"  The  remainder  of  the  letter  is  personal  —  semi-pastoral  and  semi- 
parental,  and  so  full  of  sympathy,  wise  counsel,  and  timely  encourage- 
ment to  the  principal,  that  it  must  have  greatly  sustained  and  strength- 
ened her  under  her  responsible  duties. 

"In  December,  1861,  he  wrote  to  Miss  Chapin  as  follows:  'I  sympa- 
thize with  your  sorrows,  and  share  your  joys.  I  know  it  is  only  by  keeping 
our  pride  abased,  that  our  gracious  Lord  can  lift  us  up.  And  if  this 
precious  institution  is  to  be  employed  by  him  in  advancing  his  kingdom, 
it  will  be  strange,  not  that  it  is  sorely  tried,  but  that  it  should  have  no 
embarrassments,  no  burdens  to  carry  to  the  Burden  Bearer. 

"  '  How  much  I  should  delight  to  be  with  you  at  this  time.  But  I  am 
engaged  in  revival  scenes  elsewhere.  I  go  this  afternoon  to  Portland,  to 
Dr.  Payson's  old  battle-ground.  A  blessed  work  of  the  Spirit  is  advanc- 
ing there.  I  have  passed  nearly  one  week  here,  and  shall  preach  there 
until  Thursday  of  next  week.     Lift  up  your  heart  to  God  for  me.     I  de- 


348  LIFE   OF  EDWARD  NORRIS   KIRK. 

sire  to  have  my  poor  ministry  made  more  fruitful  as  I  approach  its  termi- 
nation.' Ten  days  later  he  wrote  again:  'My  heart  rejoices  with  you 
in  the  manifestation  of  God's  goodness  to  our  beloved  school.  Never  did 
I  see  more  clearly  than  now  that  that  institution  can  keep  its  original 
position  only  by  extraordinary  grace  on  God's  part  and  fidelity  on  our  part. 
The  peculiarity  of  the  school  is  chiefly  that  tone  which  the  Spirit  of  God 
gave  it  through  Mary  Lyon.  Its  domestic  arrangements  and  intellectual 
process  are  secondary  and  subordinate.  The  self-sacrificing  love  to 
Christ  that  led  its  founder  to  work  without  compensation,  to  make  the 
school  a  nursery  for  rearing  the  self-sacrificing,  laborious,  praying, 
efficient  women  of  the  church,  —  this  is  the  glory  and  strength  of  Mount 
Holyoke  Seminary.  Human  nature,  of  itself,  will  never  hold  to  that.  It 
was  from  above  the  breath  of  life  came  that  made  it  what  it  is.  And 
forever  must  the  Holy  Spirit  keep  it  in  his  blessed  charge,  or  it  will 
sink  to  the  low  level  of  other  institutions  for  education.  When  He  for- 
sakes it,  the  defection  will  begin  probably  among  the  teachers.  And  no 
one  should  consent  to  assume  that  office  without  a  full  understanding  of 
the  very  peculiar  spirit  of  its  founder  and  a  full  consecration  to  the 
work  of  carrying  out  her  intentions  in  her  spirit.  And  now  the  blessed 
Spirit  has  given  another  pledge  of  his  kind  intentions  in  regard  to  it. 
Still  the  prayers  of  Mary  Lyon  and  her  friends  are  in  those  golden  vials 
before  the  throne.  Mount  Holyoke  Seminary  is  not  to  lose  its  spiritual 
character.  We  are  yet  to  have  the  Great  Teacher  with  us  there. 
Praised  be  his  name. 

"  '  In  regard  to  myself,  I  am  sorry  not  to  meet  your  wishes.  I  have  just 
spent  two  Sabbaths  away  from  home  laboring  in  a  revival  in  Portland. 
It  has  much  exhausted  me,  and  is  not  compatible  with  my  responsi- 
bilities. This  is  Christmas  week  here,  in  which  we  have  a  festival  for 
our  Sunday-school.  New  Year's  day  is  always  a  day  of  social  intercourse 
between  pastor  and  people  with  us.  Therefore  if  I  am  at  all  permitted 
to  mingle  in  the  hallowed  scenes  through  which  you  are  now  passing,  it 
cannot  be  before  the  second  week  in  January,  if  then.' 

"Just  after  the  celebration  of  the  twenty-fifth  anniversary  in  1862,  he 
wrote,  July  26th,  a  brief  note  as  follows  :  '  How  much  occasion  for  thank- 
fulness we  find  in  the  anniversary!  I  am  especially  thankful  for  the 
cheerful  tone  given  to  our  anniversary;  for  the  character  of  our  trustees' 
meeting;  for  the  hygienic  improvements  made  and  to  be  made;  but  most 
of  all  for  the  revival  of  Miss  Lyon's  memory  and  instructions;  for  the 
Lord's  loan  of  Miss  Fisk  to  you  all;  and  for  the  blessed  work  of  the 
Spirit  during  the  year.  May  you  come  together  next  year  prepared  to 
labor  yet  more  efficiently  for  the  spiritual  benefit  of  the  school. ' 


TRAITS   AND   SOURCES   OF  POWER   AS   A  MINISTER.     349 

"  '  Boston,  February  12,  1863. 
"'My  dear  Miss  Chapin, —  I  have  to-day  been  listening  to  Miss 
Fisk  as  she  read  her  collection  of  the  sayings  of  Miss  Lyon.  They  dis- 
play more  intellect  than  anything  we  have  seen  from  her.  The  book  we 
propose  to  make  *  will,  I  trust,  accomplish  a  great  good.  And  then  an- 
other is  projected,  which  shall  contain  an  account  of  three  revivals, — 
one  in  Mount  Holyoke  Seminary,  one  in  Oroomiah,  and  one  in  Oxford 
(in  the  Western  Seminary,  Oxford,  O.).  I  anticipate  much  good  from 
that.  The  church  is  to  receive  new  light  on  the  subject  of  revivals. 
The  spirit  and  practice  of  Mary  Lyon  will  do  much  to  show  the  right 

way.' 

"  '  Boston,  July  18,  1863. 

"  '  My  dear  Miss  Chapin,  —  The  Master  has  sent  his  messenger,  for- 
bidding me  to  enter  my  pulpit  to-morrow,  or  go  to  South  Hadley  next 
week.  I  returned  from  Oxford  yesterday.  I  had  gone  there  under 
the  oppression  of  a  cold  which  made  it  a  question  whether  I  could  speak 
to  the  people.  But  I  was  carried  through  my  work  there,  and  tried 
to  start  homeward  on  Monday  morning.  Between  the  Morgan  raid  at 
one  end  and  the  Fernando  Wood  riot  at  the  other,  my  journey  was  a 
trying  process,  but  particularly  in  the  suffocating  spasms  to  which  I  am 
liable  and  which  I  can  hardly  explain  to  one  who  has  not  seen  me  in 
them. 

"  '  I  arrived  at  home  yesterday  morning.  In  the  night  I  sprang  from 
my  bed  in  the  agonies  of  suffocation.  This  is  the  most  terrible  attack  I 
have  ever  endured.  Death  seemed  to  have  come  in  this  ghastly  form.  ] 
have  now  sent  for  a  physician.  Whatever  he  may  counsel,  it  is  now 
settled  with  me,  I  must  stop  work  abruptly;  it  would  be  madness  to  go 
one  step  farther. 

"  '  Perhaps  I  thought  I  was  of  some  consequence  to  the  sacred  cause 
which  the  seminary  represents;  perhaps  1  took  upon  me  at  this  time 
what  the  Master  did  not  lay  upon  me.  Be  that  as  it  may,  all  is  right 
on  his  part.  May  his  presence  be  with  you.  Present  my  kindest  saluta- 
tions to  Miss  Fisk  and  your  associates.  I  shall  send  a  line  to  the  trus- 
tees. Yours  most  truly, 

"  '  Edward  N.  Kirk.' 

"  To  this  letter  Miss  Chapin  (now  Mrs.  Pease)  appends  the  following 
note:  'Written  just  before  anniversary.  Miss  Fisk  and  I  remained  at 
the  seminary  during  the  vacation  after  the  anniversary,  and  Dr.  Kirk 
came  and  spent  a  few  days  with  us.  He  was  very  feeble  —  could  not 
sing  or  pray  without  his  voice  breaking.  While  there  he  had  one  of 
those  terrible  suffocating  spasms  of  which  he  speaks,  with  a  frequent 
1  Recollections  of  Mary  Lyon,  by  Fidelia  Fisk,  1866. 


350  LIFE   OF  EDWARD  NORMS   KIRK. 

tendency  to  return.  We  felt  and  he  feared  that  his  work  "  for  the  sacred 
cause  "  might  be  nearly  done;  and  his  desire  to  do  something  more  for 
the  institution  —  to  talk  over  some  plans  for  its  improvement,  led  him  to 
undertake  the  journey  notwithstanding  his  feebleness.' 

"Letters  similar  to  the  above  were  addressed  by  Dr.  Kirk  to  Mrs. 
Stoddard,  Miss  French  (now  Mrs.  Gulliver),  and  Miss  Ward,  the  suc- 
cessors of  Miss  Chapin  in  the  principalship.  But  I  have  already  occu- 
pied more  space  than  I  intended  or  you  expected,  and  I  must  hasten  to 
a  conclusion. 

"  '  My  dear  Miss  Ward,  —  Dr.  Clark  notifies  me  that  he  intends  to 
leave  Boston  on  the  9th  inst.  (Wednesday  next)  in  the  9  a.  m.  train  for 
South  Hadley.  If  it  shall  appear  to  be  prudent  at  the  time,  I  shall  ac- 
company  him.  This  purpose  is  to  pass  a  day  with  you.  Now  I  have 
several  requests  to  make:  — 

" '  1.  Will  you  be  so  kind  as  to  have  every  arrangement  made  to  facilitate 
our  doing  all  the  time  will  admit,  to  ascertain  the  exact  status  of  the 
institution  —  to  compare  your  curriculum  with  those  of  Vassar,  Cornell, 
and  other  colleges  —  to  determine  what  changes  may  seem  desirable  in 
the  terms  of  admission,  in  the  curriculum,  in  the  lecture  system  by  scien- 
tific men  —  to  determine  what  may  be  done  to  secure  a  more  complete 
and  practical  enlistment  of  the  several  committees  of  the  trustees  in  the 
great  work  of  keeping  our  seminary  in  the  front  rank  of  educational 
institutions  ;  for  without  that  the  work  cannot  be  effectually  done. 

"  '  2.  If  I  should  conclude  to  protract  my  visit,  as  Dr.  Clark  will  leave 
soon,  can  I  depend  upon  one  of  the  teachers  to  accompany  me  as  far  as 
Springfield  on  my  return? 

"  '  3.  Will  you  inform  me  immediately  on  the  receipt  of  this  letter ;  for 
if  I  do  not  receive  an  answer,  it  will  not  be  prudent  for  me  to  venture 
to  go.  Yours  truly, 

"  '  Edward  N.  Kirk. 

"'Boston,  April  3,  1873.' 

"An  answer  was  promptly  received.  The  arrangements  were  made 
according  to  his  wishes  ;  he  went  to  the  seminary  on  the  appointed  day 
and  remained  there  a  month  (from  April  9  to  May  9),  making  the  longest 
visit  he  ever  made,  and  in  many  respects  the  most  interesting,  useful, 
and  agreeable  both  to  himself  and  to  the  teachers  and  pupils. 

"  Soon  after  reaching  the  seminary  he  addressed  to  the  teachers  the 
letter  which  has  already  been  given,1  which  shows  how  earnestly  he 
gave  himself  to  labors  for  the  whole  well-being  of  the  seminary.  On 
his  return  to  Boston,  at  the  month's  end,  he  wrote  as  follows:  — 

i  Page  344. 


TEAITS  AND   SOURCES   OF  POWER   AS  A  MINISTER.     351 

"  'Miss  Ward  and  the  Band  of  Teachers: 

"  '  Dear  Sisters,  —  I  write  to  inform  you  of  my  safe  arrival  home.  The 
rain  caused  me  no  embarrassment,  and  the  journey  enabled  me  to  take 
my  residence  for  two  hours  in  India. 

" '  I  find  all  well.  But  I  am  hardly  at  home  yet.  There  are  no  house- 
bells  here,  and  I  feel  the  loss  of  at  least  twenty  friends  waiting  to  see 
what  they  can  do  fur  my  comfort.  But  the  memory  of  the  last  month 
will,  I  trust,  help  me  in  whatever  work  the  Lord  may  have  for  me  to 
do.  Be  assured  your  kindness  to  me  is  warmly  appreciated,  and  the 
memory  of  your  expressions  of  affection  will  quicken  me  in  talking  of 
you  to  our  Heacenly  Father. 

"  '  May  the  blessed  Saviour  manifest  himself  in  greater  and  ever  increas- 
ing clearness  to  each  of  you.  The  more  completely  self  is  subordinated  and 
kept  out  of  the  range  of  vision  and  of  motive,  the  more  simple  and  earnest, 
is  the  purpose,  and  the  more  cordial  too,  the  more  will  He  manifest  his 
appreciation  of  that  purpose  and  cheer  your  hearts  with  the  evidence 
that  He  does  recognize  it. 

"  '  I  hope  to  send  you  soon  the  caricature  likenesses  of 

"  '  Your  loving  friend, 

"  '  Edward  N.  Kirk.' 

"  I  have  ventured  to  italicize  two  passages  in  the  above  letter,  because 
they  suggest  two  marked  peculiarities  of  Dr.  Kirk.  One  is  the  subor- 
dination of  self  —  self-forgetfulness.  No  topic  was  more  frequently  in- 
sisted on  by  him  than  the  debasing  influence  of  selfishness  as  the  root  of 
all  sin,  and  the  divine  excellence  of  unselfishness  or  disinterested  benev- 
olence as  the  essence  of  all  real  goodness  and  greatness  ;  and  nothing 
was  more  manifest  to  all  who  knew  him  than  his  forgetfulness  of  self  and 
his  entire  absorption  in  the  work  of  doing  good  to  men  and  honoring  the 
Master.  The  other  is  intimate  communion  with  God — -'  talking  with  our 
Heavenly  Father.'  'I  remember,'  writes  one  who  was  a  senior  at  the 
time  of  his  visit  in  1873,  '  Dr.  Kirk's  praying  often  in  the  midst  of  a 
discourse  or  conversation  with  any  one.  When  he  was  speaking  most 
earnestly,  he  would  very  often  stop,  and  turning  his  darkened  eyes 
upward,  utter  such  prayers  as  these:  "Dear  Father,  help  them  to  see 
it.  Reveal  thyself  unto  them."  It  seemed  heaven  where  Dr.  Kirk  was, 
and  he  seemed  always  to  realize  the  immediate  presence  of  God  with 
him  as  he  spoke.  Of  everything  connected  with  Dr.  Kirk,  nothing  then 
seemed  so  wonderful,  nor  now  so  delightful  to  be  remembered,  as  his 
simple,  childlike,  earnest  faith  as  shown  in  his  prayers — it  really  seemed 
ike  standing  by  one  who  talked  with  the  Father,  face  to  face.' 

"  The  principal,  Miss  Ward,  remarks  the  same  characteristic  feat- 
ure: — 

"  '  One  thing  that  impressed  us  greatly  during  the  visits  of  his  later 


352  LIFE   OF  EDWARD   NORMS   KIRK. 

years,  was  the  readiness  with  which  he  passed  from  conversation  to 
prayer,  especially  ejaculatory  prayer.  He  would  often,  during  any  im- 
portant discussion,  speak  of  the  Lord  Jesus  as  if  He  were  as  visibly 
present  in  the  room  as  the  friends  to  whom  his  remarks  were  addressed. 
Indeed,  when  he  turned  his  almost  sightless  eyes  upon  us,  it  seemed  as 
if  we  were  even  less  present  to  him  than  the  Friend  who  was  invisible  to 
our  earth-blinded  eyes.  Once  when  I  was  riding  with  him  and  speaking 
to  him  of  various  perplexities  and  anxieties,  after  he  had  given  sympathy 
and  wise  counsel  in  abundant  measm*e,  unexpectedly  to  me  he  gave 
utterance  to  a  tender,  earnest  prayer  of  some  length,  committing  the 
whole  case  in  simple  confidence  to  God.' 

"  '  If  Dr.  Kirk's  labors  for  us  had  ceased  at  any  time  before  he  began 
to  feel  the  burden  of  his  declining  years,'  writes  Miss  Edwards,  one  of 
the  associate  principals,  '  the  record  of  his  usefulness  here  would  not  have 
been  quite  complete.  We  should  have  honored  and  revered  his  memory, 
but  should  hardly  have  known  how  deeply  we  loved  him.  It  needed  the 
rare  and  beautiful  twilight  which  marked  the  close  of  his  life,  and  much 
of  which  we  were  permitted  to  have,  to  relieve  us  of  the  awe  with  which 
we  had  regarded  him,  and  to  see  the  full  sweetness  and  gentleness  of  his 
chastened  soul. 

'"After  he  had  given  up  all  other  public  efforts,  he  still  enjoyed 
spending  a  few  weeks  at  a  time  with  us,  and  exerting  the  last  of  his  fail- 
ing strength  in  our  behalf.  He  still  retained  his  erect  form  and  spring- 
ing step,  but  his  eye  was  dim,  and  his  slightly  palsied  tongue  hindered 
his  utterance.  It  was  pitiful  to  see  the  once  strong  man  groping  his  way 
through  the  halls,  almost  disdaining  assistance,  yet  accepting  it  at  last 
with  all  the  submissiveness  of  a  child.  He  did  not  repine  over  the 
dreary  prospect  of  a  long  season  of  inactivity,  but  thought  it  a  peculiar 
evidence  of  a  Father's  mercy.  "I  have  been  too  busy,"  he  said, 
"  pointing  others  to  heaven,  to  prepare  for  it  myself  as  I  ought,  and 
now  I  have  this  season  of  quiet  thought  before  I  go."  His  gratitude  for 
every  little  service  rendered  him  was  touching.  He  would  say  "  thank 
you,"  in  a  way  that  made  us  wonder  how  that  worn-out  phrase  could 
convey  so  much  meaning.  Though  he  could  not  discern  objects  clearly, 
he  could  distinguish  color,  and  said  he  derived  peculiar  enjoyment  from 
this,  and  often  said  that  he  was  much  better  off  than  those  who  were 
deprived  of  their  hearing. 

"  '  He  s.  emed  a  little  fearful  of  a  failure  of  mental  power,  and  strove 
against  it  by  committing  long  passages  of  Scripture  to  memory,  as  well 
as  by  the  most  careful  preparation  for  every  attempt  at  speaking  before 
the  school.  He  often  sought  the  aid  of  some  friend  to  assist  him  in  this 
by  reading  texts  of  Scripture  while  he  would  walk  up  and  down  his  room 
repeating  and  commenting  upon  them,  until  his  old  vigor  would  come 
back  again  for  a  time,  and  he  would  then  take  his  stand  at  the  desk  in 


TRAITS  AND   SOURCES   OF  POWER  AS   A  MINISTER.     353 

the  Seminary  Hall,  and  cause  us  almost  to  forget  how  great  a  change 
had  come  upon  him.  If  possible,  he  was  more  earnest  than  ever  in 
seeking  immediate  results  from  his  labors,  and  thought  if  at  least  some 
one  impenitent  soul  was  not  awakened  every  time  he  spoke,  some  fault  in 
himself  must  be  the  cause.  It  was  noticeable  that  he  took  especial 
delight  in  conversation  with  Christians,  and  rejoiced  much  over  any 
evidence  he  saw  of  growth  in  grace  in  them.  He  was  present  at  a  meet- 
ing of  the  Alurunse  on  anniversary  day,  and  spoke  to  them  of  the  great 
power  they  could  exert  by  their  prayers,  saying  that  he  believed  there 
was  a  power  in  prayer  of  which  the  world  had  as  little  idea  now  as  it 
had  of  the  power  of  steam  fifty  years  ago.  "  Why,"  said  he,  "  there  is 
power  enough  in  the  prayers  of  those  in  this  room,  with  the  blessing  of 
God,  to  bring  the  world  to  Christ."  ' 

"  Dr.  Kirk's  last  service  for  the  seminary  was  rendered  March  20, 
1874,  one  week  before  his  death.  '  I  called  upon  him  that  day,'  writes 
Miss  Ward.  '  During  the  interview  I  consulted  with  him  about  the  pur- 
chase of  a  piano  for  the  seminary.  He  willingly  accompanied  me  to  the 
wareroom  and  gave  his  opinion  as  to  the  tone  of  the  instrument.  The 
friend  who  was  with  me  asked  him  a  question  about  the  employments  of 
heaven,  a  subject  that  was  occupying  her  thoughts  at  the  time.  In  his 
reply  he  intimated  that  we  must  wait  until  we  entered  that  blessed  place 
for  full  and  definite  knowledge.  "  The  believer,"  said  he,  "  is  like  a  royal 
infant  in  his  cradle;  he  knows  very  little  of  the  glorious  inheritance  that 
awaits  him." 

"  '  I  saw  him  again  Wednesday,  March  24th  (only  two  days  before  he 
died).  He  was  never  more  full  of  kindness  and  cordiality.  After  we 
had  said  "  good-by,"  to  him  in  the  parlor,  he  accompanied  us  to  the  street 
door,  again  shook  hands  and  promised  to  pay  us  another  long  visit  at 
the  seminary  at  an  early  day. ' 

"  Dr.  Kirk  bequeathed  the  bulk  of  his  valuable  library  to  the  seminary 
and  quite  a  portion  of  his  property  when  his  sisters  should  no  longer  need 
it.  Thus  he  showed  by  word  and  deed  that  he  regarded  the  seminary  not 
only  as  his  '  flock  '  but  as  his  child  and  heir.  And  the  seminary  in  turn 
rejoices  in  the  honor  and  the  privilege  of  being  the  child  of  his  thoughts 
and  cares  and  toils  as  well  as  his  affections  ;  the  heir,  not  of  his  pos- 
sessions only,  but  that  far  richer  inheritance,  his  prayers.  Mount  Hol- 
yoke  was  the  scene  of  his  last  social  and  public  labors,  and  who  shall  say 
that  it  was  not  the  field  from  which  his  richest  harvest  has  been  and  will 
be  gathered.  Cultivated  minds  and  sanctified  hearts,  converted  through 
his  instrumentality,  enriched  by  his  teaching,  inspired  by  his  example,  and 
almost  transfigured  by  his  influence,  are  to  be  found  in  families,  in 
churches,  in  schools  and  colleges,  in  home  and  foreign  missions,  in  all 
the  continents  and  islands  of  the  sea,  wherever  there  is  any  work  to  be 
done  for  Christ;  and  the  harvest  of  souls  saved,  of  good  to  men  and  glory 
23 


354  LIFE   OF  EDWARD  NORMS   KIRK. 

to  God,  so  far  from  having  ceased  at  his  death,  will  only  grow  wider 
and  larger  and  richer  all  through  time  and  down  eternity. 

"  Like  Apollos,  he  was  '  an  eloquent  man  and  mighty  in  the  Scriptures.' 
Like  Barnabas,  'he  was  a  good  man,  and  full  of  the  Holy  Ghost  and  of 
faith.'  Like  Paul,  he  could  say,  '  I  am  crucified  with  Christ;  neverthe- 
less I  live;  yet  not  I,  but  Christ  liveth  in  me.'  Like  John,  he  might  have 
written,  '  That  which  our  eyes  have  seen  and  our  hands  have  handled 
of  the  word  of  life,  declare  we  unto  you,  that  ye  also  may  have  fellow- 
ship with  us;  and  truly  our  fellowship  is  with  the  Father  and  with  his 
Son  Jesus  Christ '  —  so  vividly  did  he  perceive  spiritual  realities  and  so 
habitually  did  he  walk  and  talk-  with  God.  In  child-like  simplicity  and 
humility,  in  spirituality  and  heavenly  mindedness,  and  above  all  in 
prayerfulness,  his  prayers  being  the  secret  spring  of  his  life,  and  his  life 
being,  in  the  language  of  Justin  Martyr,  '  all  one  great  prayer '  —  I 
think  he  surpassed  all  the  men  with  whom  I  have  ever  had  the  happi- 
ness of  being  associated.  There  was  the  hiding  of  his  power.  These 
are  virtues  and  graces  that  need  to  be  cultivated  in  our  day.  And  may 
a  Christian  public  long  feel  the  influence  of  his  godly  life ! ' ' 


CHAPTER  XVI. 

PERSONAL    CHARACTERISTICS. 

Evert  man  of  influence  is  faithful  in  the  things  which 
are  least.  Nothing  of  importance  in  the  parish  escaped  the 
attention  of  Dr.  Kirk.  As  a  pastor  he  visited  but  little 
from  house  to  house ;  yet  knew  his  people  well.  Every 
child  of  the  large  parish  was  remembered  with  some  token 
of  his  love,  upon  each  New  Year's  day.  The  church 
moulded  by  his  ideas  was  a  home.  Himself  without  a  wife, 
the  church  was  his  bride,  and  all  its  members  treated  him  as 
children  would  treat  a  father. 

Everything  in  the  quiet  home  on  Staniford  Street  was 
subservient  to  the  needs  of  the  church.  Curious  people  have 
asked  why  Dr.  Kirk  never  married  ;  but  we  shall  do  better 
to  respect  his  manifest  reticence.  His  silence  equaled  that 
of  Washington  Irving  upon  this  subject.  His  affection  for 
his  sisters,  who  made  his  home  so  attractive,  needs  no  dem- 
onstration.     He  once   said,  "If  I  could  find  a  woman  like 

my  sister ,  I  would  marry   her."     His   interests  were 

theirs ;  their  love  for  him  was  like  that  of  Caroline  Lucre- 
tia  Herschell  for  her  honored  brother,  Sir  William.  They 
ministered  in  all  things  to  his  comfort  and  enjoyment  as 
did  Martha  and  Mary  in  the  quiet  home  in  Bethany ;  and 
amid  all  our  admiration  for  his  more  splendid  and  public 
career,  these  faithful  sisters  will  not  be  forgotten.  Added 
to  the  comforts  of  his  home,  the  thoughtful  attentions  of 
many  a  family  in  his  parish,  and  outside  of  the  parish,  made 
his  life's  work  more  easy  of  accomplishment.  The  "  proph- 
et's chamber  "  was  kept  for  him  in  many  a  dwelling.  The 
delicacies  and  luxuries  of  life  were  shared  with  him. 


356  LIFE   OF  EDWARD   NORTHS   KIRK. 

The  modesty  and  Christian  graciousness  with  which  he 
received  the  tokens  of  his  friends'  esteem,  are  well  shown  in 
the  following  letter :  — 

"  New  York,  January  19,  1857. 

"My  dear  Mrs.  Tobey,  —  I  rather  tardily  acknowledge  the  kind 
expressions  of  your  note.  They  are  all  reciprocated.  You  can  easily 
conceive  of  an  embarrassment  I  experience.  All  the  kindness  expressed 
by  an  affectionate  circle  of  friends  I  prize  most  highly.  The  sadness 
caused  by  my  separation  from  them  must  be  regarded  by  me  as  genuine. 
But  if  it  is,  then  I  am  the  object  of  an  esteem  beyond  my  deserts.  I 
have  weighed  the  question  much,  and  especially  of  late  :  Shall  I  charge 
my  dear  friends  with  insincerity  by  not  believing  their  expressions;  or, 
shall  I  believe  myself  worthy  of  so  much  regard  ?  And  I  will  tell  you 
how  I  am  inclining  to  dispose  of  it.  I  am  tending  more  and  more  to  the 
belief  that  God  gave  us  our  qualities,  either  by  nature  or  by  grace.  And 
if  they  are  such  as  secure  to  us  the  kind  regards  of  others,  we  must  ac- 
knowledge his  goodness  in  it,  and  enjoy  the  love  of  those  who  may 
esteem  us.  So  I  welcome  every  expression  of  confidence  and  esteem  to 
me  as  a  friend  and  a  pastor;  and  to  every  expression  of  regard  from 
yourself,  your  beloved  husband,  and  your  dear  children,  I  return  a  full 
response.  You  all  have  a  place  in  my  heart  and  in  my  prayers.  And  I 
trust  it  may  be  my  privilege  to  lead  your  children,  one  by  one,  to  Him 
who  bids  us  bring  them. 

"  Please  say  to  Mr.  Tobey,  that  I  thank  him  for  his  care  of  me,  and 
that,  in  obedience  to  his  suggestions,  I  have  deferred  my  departure  until 
I  could  secure  a  place  in  a  Cunard  steamer.  Give  my  most  cordial  sal- 
utations to  all  your  circle;  and  remember  me  at  your  family  altar,  and 
when  alone  you  speak  with  your  God  and  my  God. 

"  Your  affectionate  friend, 

"Edward  N.  Kirk." 

He  was  especially  sympathetic.  He  recognized  the  worth 
of  the  human  soul,  under  whatever  conditions  placed.  He 
claimed  among  his  strongest  friends  men  of  the  highest  posi- 
tion and  culture  on  both  sides  of  the  Atlantic ;  and  with  the 
same  delight  welcomed  in  the  same  pure  friendship  those  of 
far  humbler  station,  — 

"  Not  a  lamb  in  all  Christ's  flock 
He  would  disdain  to  feed." 

The  world  was  his  home,  and  no  mountains  or  seas  con- 
fined him  to  any  one  place,  —  no  bounds,  political  or  ecclesi- 
astical, satisfied  his  free  spirit,  and  no  condition  of  manhood 


PERSONAL   CHARACTERISTICS.  357 

was  too  low  for  his  assistance.  We  are  in  possession  of 
many  incidents  illustrating  the  power  that  this  quality  gave 
him  over  the  fallen. 

The  mission  school  on  Hanover  Street  brought  him  more 
and  more  into  a  personal  sympathy  with  the  poor  and  the 
sorrowful.  The  case  of  a  woman  of  desperate  character, 
about  to  be  ejected  from  the  school,  was  made  known  to 
him.  All  efforts  for  her  reformation  seemed  without  avail. 
Dr.  Kirk  asked  to  see  her,  and,  during  the  interview,  her 
hardened  soul  melted  under  his  persuasive  words,  and  was 
transformed  from  the  spirit  of  a  demon  into  the  spirit  of 
Christ.  She  is  now  a  Christian,  living  in  a  Christian  family, 
all  of  whom  esteem  her  very  highly. 

One  Sunday  evening  he  was  leaving  the  premises  of  Mr. 
H.,  in  Great  Barrington,  about  10  o'clock  p.  M.,  when  a  man 
accosted  him,  and  said :  — 

"  Friend,  have  n't  I  undertaken  more  than  I  can  perform  ?  " 

"  What  is  that  ?  " 

"  To  reach  Barrington  to-night." 

"  No  ;  that  is  not  difficult." 

"  But  I  have  been  drinking  whiskey." 

Dr.  Kirk  approached  him,  and  found  him  staggering,  and 
his  breath  thoroughly  saturated  by  the  liquor. 

"  Why  do  you  drink  the  horrid  stuff?  " 

"  Yes  ;  why  do  I  ?  "      " 

"  It  takes  away  your  brains  and  your  purse." 

"  Oh,  the  purse  is  nothing ;  the  brains  —  that  is  the  thing  ! 
O  God  !     He  can't  hear  me  ;  He  has  forgotten  me  !  " 

"  You  have  forgotten  Him,  and  that  is  the  reason  why  He 
has  forgotten  you.     But  Christ  has  shed  his  blood  for  you." 

"  Yes,  He  has  ;  you  talk  like  a  friend." 

"  You  have  been  drinking  for  ten  days  ;  it  is  horrible." 

"It  is  horrible  !" 

"  Can  you  not  break  off  when  you  get  sober?  " 

"  Oh,  I  wish  I  could  !  Who  are  you  that  I  can  come  and 
see  you  ?  " 

"  You  have  served  the  devil  long  enough  ;  it  is  a  hard  ser- 
vice." 


358  LIFE   OF   EDWARD   NORMS   KIRK. 

"  Yes;  hard  in  this  life,  and  harder  in  the  next,  I  suppose." 

"  You  must  become  a  Christian  ;  Christ  will  help  you." 

"  Christ  dare  not  help  me  ;  I  am  so  wicked  !  I  wish  I 
could  become  a  good  man  !  " 

"  Shall  we  kneel  by  the  fence  and  pray  together  ?  " 

"  Yes  ;  I  will  pray  with  you." 

While  Dr.  Kirk  was  asking  for  some  blessing  from  God, 
the  man  said  :  — 

"  I  hope  He  may  ! "  and  laid  his  hand  on  the  doctor's 
arm. 

"  You  have  been  ten  days  drinking,  and  robbing  your 
family." 

"  You  don't  mean  to  injure  me ;  you  are  a  real  friend. 
Won't  you  let  me  take  your  hand  ?  I  wish  I  could  go  to 
Christ  ?     He  died  for  me  just  as  well  as  for  you  ?  " 

Rising  from  his  knees,  he  said  :  — 

"  You  have  almost  sobered  me." 

One  of  his  young  men  thus  draws  from  a  tender  recollec- 
tion the  following  reminiscences :  — 

"  On  one  of  Dr.  Kirk's  visits  to  Europe,  he  was  called  upon  to  address 
a  large  and  distinguished  audience  in  Exeter  Hall,  when  Lord  Shaftes- 
bury presided.  In  commencing,  he  said,  substantially,  '  My  lord,  when 
I  landed  upon  your  shores  and  beheld  your  crowded  marts,  your  won- 
drous advancement  in  civilization,  and  compared  this  small  island  with 
the  broad  domain  of  America,  I  said,  Can  this  be  "  multum  in  parvo"  f 
And  [now  he  turned  back  his  coat-sleeve  and  pointed  to  the  blue  veins 
in  his  wrist]  I  thanked  God  that  English  blood  ran  in  these  veins  !  ' 
None  who  ever  heard  him  in  his  prime,  and  know  the  thrill  and  power 
of  his  eloquence  on  such  occasions,  need  be  told  that  this  '  nate  (neat) 
introduction,'  as  my  Scotch  friend  called  it,  was  received  with  a  storm 
of  applause. 

"  He  could  win  the  plaudits  of  a  large  and  brilliant  assembly,  and  yet  in 
the  spirit,  and  following  the  example  of  his  Divine  Master,  stoop  to  lift 
up  the  degraded  and  throw  the  whole  energy  of  his  soul  into  an  appeal 
when  he  had  but  one  auditor,  and  he  a  partially  intoxicated  man.  Thus 
I  saw  him  on  a  stormy  night,  near  the  rear  entrance  of  his  church,  after  a 
Friday  evening  meeting,  earnestly  entreating  one  '  never  to  touch  the 
vile  stuff  again.' 

' '  I  am  one  of  hundreds  of  young  men  who  can  testify  to  his  warm 
personal  interest,  both  in  their  temporal    and    spiritual  welfare,    and 


PERSONAL  CHARACTERISTICS.  359 

within  whom  he  sought  to  kindle  something  of  the  fire  of  his  own  earn- 
est, unflagging  spirit.  He  disapproved  of  anything  that  looked  like  dis- 
play. Modest  himself,  he  would  have  his  young  men,  as  he  called  them, 
'  do  all  the  good  they  could  and  not  make  a  fuss  about  it. ' 

"  His  frequent  addresses  to  young  men  were  soul-stirring,  and  'coming 
from  the  heart  went  to  the  heart,'  moulding  their  characters  and  di- 
recting their  purposes.  It  is  scarcely  more  than  fifteen  years  since  a 
young  lad  of  foreign  birth  came  to  Boston  in  search  of  employment. 
He  had  been  living  in  New  York  city  with  a  sister  who  had  brought  him 
to  this  country.  He  left  without  her  knowledge,  and  with  some  rather 
wild  companions  came  to  Boston,  because,  as  he  afterwards  said,  his  sister 
was  '  too  pious  for  him.' 

"Finding  employment  at  his  trade,  he  was  soon  after  induced  to 
attend  the  evening  prayer-meeting  of  the  Young  Men's  Christian  Asso- 
ciation. At  one  of  those  meetings  the  arrow  of  conviction  reached  his 
heart  and  his  conversion  followed. 

"  For  nearly  a  year  he  continued  at  his  trade,  striving  to  do  something 
for  the  Master.  Homeless  —  with  but  few  acquaintances  apparently,  un- 
educated, save  in  the  simplest  rudiments,  one  evening  found  him  in 
Tremont  Temple  with  many  others  listening  to  an  address  to  young  men 
on  Self-culture,  by  Dr.  Kirk.  The  stirring  sentences  uttered,  the  power 
for  good  of  a  cultivated  mind  and  heart  unfolded,  the  grand  results 
within  the  reach  of  all  declared,  the  counsels  and  directions  given, 
made  a  deep  and  abiding  impression  on  this  youth.  His  whole  nature 
was  aroused  and  his  purpose  soon  fixed.  He  repaired  to  a  country 
school,  where  he  fitted  for  a  high  school,  and  then  entered  college ;  took 
the  usual  course  at  the  theological  seminary,  whence  he  stepped  into  an 
important  pulpit  in  one  of  our  New  England  churches.  Not  long  after, 
he  preached  as  a  supply  at  Mount  Vernon  Church  with  Dr.  Kirk  in  the 
pulpit  as  listener.  At  the  close  of  the  service,  retiring  to  the  ante-room 
adjoining  the  pulpit,  Dr.  Kirk  placed  his  hand  upon  the  head  of  him 
who  was  the  obscure  boy  in  Tremont  Temple  twelve  years  before,  but 
now  the  eloquent  young  preacher,  and  with  hardly  suppressed  emotion 
pronounced  an  impressive  benediction." 

Every  man  was  his  brother.  He  called  no  man  master 
and  was  not  called  master.  As  a  servant  of  Christ  he  min- 
istered unto  men.  The  degree  of  Doctor  of  Divinity,  with 
which  he  was  honored  by  Amherst  College  in  1855,  became 
him  as  well  as  it  did  when  long  before  given  him  by  the 
people.  He  could  not  be  known  by  any  other  title  than 
"  Dr.  Kirk." 

Yet  this  his  native  dignity  was  equaled  by  his   love  for 


360  LIFE   OF  EDWARD  NORRIS  KIRK. 

all,  —  a  love  that  showed  itself  in  his  daily  life.  His  po- 
liteness was  proverbial,  and  as  natural  as  his  breath.  He 
never  spoke  lightly  even  of  those  who  wronged  him.  They 
who  conversed  with  him  were  assured  of  his  sincere  friend- 
ship. Yet  it  must  not  be  assumed  that  he  was  not  sensitive 
to  every  unjust  act.  "If  when  upon  the  street,"  he  used  to 
say,  "  some  one  should  step  on  my  foot,  and  at  some  other 
time  repeat  the  offense,  I  should  feel  it  my  duty  to  pass  over 
to  the  other  side,  that  he  might  find  no  other  occasion." 

Everywhere  this  same  urbanity,  built  upon  the  purest 
sympathy,  was  manifest.  The  Rev.  Dr.  Neale  records  that 
in  the  latter  part  of  the  journey  from  the  Holy  Land  to 
Paris  a  Romish  priest  became  one  of  the  company.  After 
days  of  social  enjoyment,  in  which  the  name  and  the  person 
of  Christ  were  the  great  themes,  the  time  came  for  their 
separation.  Dr.  Kirk  invited  the  priest  to  kneel  with  them 
in  prayer.  The  "  heretic "  led  in  the  devotions.  After 
committing  each  and  all  to  the  Father's  care,  he  prayed,  as 
only  he  could  pray,  for  the  priest  —  that  he  might  be  rightly 
directed  at  every  step.  Upon  rising,  the  priest  with  face 
suffused  with  tears  came  up  to  Dr.  Kirk,  and  embraced  him 
as  a  brother  beloved.  Of  faith,  hope,  and  love  in  the  world, 
—  "  these  three,"  —  the  greatest  is  love. 

The  Rev.  Jacob  Chapman,  formerly  Professor  in  Franklin 
College,  Lancaster,  Pennsylvania,  bears  witness  to  the  same 
characteristic  as  follows :  — 

"  DR.    KIRK    ON    A   JOURNEY. 

"  Many  a  preacher,  on  the  platform,  or  in  the  pulpit  and  in  the  parish, 
is  so  different  from  the  same  person  on  a  journey,  that  it  is  hard  to  be- 
lieve him  to  be  the  same. 

"In  company  with  other  students  of  Andover,  I  had  heard  and  ad- 
mired Mr.  Kirk,  in  Boston,  more  than  thirty  years  ago.  We  did  not 
wonder  at  his  popularity;  but  we  could  not  tell  its  why.  We  could  not 
discover  the  hidings  of  his  power.  In  his  extempore  efforts,  he  some- 
times seemed  to  excel  himself. 

"  In  those  addresses  there  was  no  aim  at  the  eloquent  or  the  sensa- 
tional; no  attempt  to  be  very  wise  or  witty;  but  a  peculiar  simplicity  and 
downright  earnestness.     I  had  met  him  at  Andover,  and  heard  him  do 


PERSONAL   CHARACTERISTICS.  361 

credit  to  himself  in  the  old  chapel,  where  he  addressed  us,  students  and 
professors,  as  men  of  like  passions  with  others.  But  I  removed  to  Penn- 
sylvania, then  a  great  distance  from  Boston,  and  did  not,  for  some  ten 
years,  see  or  hear  much  of  Mr.  Kirk. 

"In  April,  1850,  going  from  Washington,  D.  C,  to  Indiana,  I  no- 
ticed near  me  in  the  car  a  gentleman,  reading  '  Littell's  Living  Age.' 
When  he  had  closed  the  magazine,  I  was  permitted  to  take  it,  and  soon 
a  conversation  commenced  which  showed,  to  my  surprise,  that  he  was 
familiar  with  the  theological  literature  of  this  country  and  of  England. 
When  we  came  to  the  dinner-table  at  Harper's  Ferry,  this  gentleman 
chanced  to  be  seated  at  my  side,  and  no  old  friend  could  have  been  more 
polite  and  agreeable  than  this  stranger  was  to  me. 

"Before  leaving  the  train  at  Cumberland,  Md.,  to  take  coaches  for 
the  trip  over  the  mountains  to  Wheeling,  he  expressed  a  desire  to  take  a 
seat  in  the  same  coach  with  me,  which  offer  I  thankfully  accepted.  I 
then  took  the  liberty  to  inquire  the  name  of  my  new  acquaintance,  and 
was  surprised  and  delighted  to  hear  the  name  of  E.  N.  Kirk.  He  was 
the  last  man  that  I  should  have  expected  to  find  traveling  at  that  season 
from  Virginia  to  Missouri. 

"  From  that  time  we  were  traveling  companions  day  and  night  for 
about  a  week,  spending  the  Sabbath  together  at  Wheeling,  and  some 
two  days  at  Cincinnati,  —  occupying  the  same  state-rooms  in  the  boats 
and  the  same  rooms  at  the  hotels.  I  had  opportunity  to  observe  his  de- 
votional habits  in  his  leisure  hours.  I  must  say,  that,  much  as  I  have 
been  moved  by  his  power  in  the  pulpit  and  the  press,  these  hours  of 
social  intercourse  had  more  influence  than  all  his  other  labors. 

"  It  was  said,  I  think,  of  Edmund  Burke,  that  '  No  man  could  take 
shelter  under  a  shed  in  a  shower  thirty  minutes  with  him,  without  com- 
ing out  a  better  man.'  The  same  could  be  said  of  Dr.  Kirk.  If  I  have 
not,  for  twenty-five  years,  been  a  better  man  for  this  casual  acquaint- 
ance, it  was  not  his  fault;  for  in  all  his  intercourse  with  me  and  others, 
without  any  direct  preaching,  he  seemed  to  shed  a  hallowed  influence 
over  all  that  associated  with  him. 

"  There  was  one  old  Episcopal  clergyman,  of  the  straitest  sect,  in  our 
company  ;  he  seemed  to  stand  on  his  dignity,  and  make  no  acquaintance 
with  any  of  his  fellow-passengers.  When  I  had  by  a  desperate  effort 
broken  over  his  cold  exclusiveness,  and  entangled  him  in  a  little  conversa- 
tion, Mr.  Kirk  came  along,  and  was  introduced,  when  the  old  man  threw 
off  his  icy  reserve,  and  seemed  happy  to  think  that  some  good  men  could 
come  out  of  the  Congregational  community.  Mr.  Kirk  seemed  to  have  a 
word  for  every  one  that  came  in  contact  with  him.  The  servants  were 
not  neglected  by  this  stranger  to  them. 

"  In  such  circumstances  most  men  would  have  been  tempted  to  neglect 
their  usual  caution,  when  far  from  home,  among  strangers.     Worn  down 


362  LIFE   OF  EDWARD  NORRIS   KIRK. 

by  protracted  labor  and  anxiety  for  his  large  society,  he  was  seeking 
rest  and  recreation  of  mind.  In  all  this  time  I  cannot  remember  one 
act  or  one  expression  inconsistent  with  his  character  as  a  preacher  of 
the  gospel.  He  was  social,  accessible  to  all,  without  compromising  his 
dignity.  His  was  a  natural  dignity,  which  did  not  need  artificial  stays 
to  stiffen  it.  He  was  cheerful  without  any  undue  levity.  He  did  not 
impress  us  by  his  preaching  in  private,  or  his  brilliant  conversational 
powers ;  but  by  a  sort  of  sanctified  common  sense,  which  enabled  him  to 
say  the  right  thing,  and  nothing  else,  at  the  right  time,  and  in  the  right 
place.  He  was  remarkable  for  his  modesty.  When  I  addressed  him  as 
Doctor  Kirk,  he  corrected  me,  and  told  me  he  had  not  attained  to  that 
honor.  His  extensive  knowledge  of  Europe,  its  peoples,  and  their  lan- 
guages, appeared  only  incidentally.  As  we  were  walking  the  streets  of 
Wheeling,  inhaling  the  sulphurous  smoke  from  its  furnaces,  he  remarked, 
'  I  cannot  divest  myself  of  the  idea  that  I  am  in  England,'  — naming 
some  of  the  manufacturing  towns  in  the  north  of  England,  where  bitu- 
minous coal  is  extensively  used. 

"  When  in  the  evening  we  were  sitting  alone  in  our  state-room,  before 
our  evening  devotions,  he  asked  me  to  tell  him  fully  and  freely  my  re- 
ligious exjDerience  from  tbe  earliest  period  that  I  could  recollect.  "While 
I  was  telling  him  the  dealings  of  God  with  a  little  child,  he  listened  with 
apparently  more  interest  than  if  I  had  been  reading  to  him  the  records 
of  the  origin  of  an  empire.  He  asked  questions,  and  answered  my  in- 
quiries, but  made  no  extended  remarks.  When  on  Saturday  evening  we 
reached  Wheeling,  I  was  sick.  But  Sabbath  afternoon  he  thought  he 
could  safely  take  me  out  to  public  worship.  Dr.  Weed,  formerly  of 
Albany,  pastor  of  the  Presbyterian  Church,  preached.  Dr.  W.  had 
been  —  in  the  troublous  contentions  which  divided  the  church  —  one  of 
the  firmest  Old  School  men,  and  Mr.  Kirk,  when  at  Albany,  one  of  the 
ablest  New  School  men. 

"When,  after  service,  the  unexpected  meeting  of  these  leaders  took 
place,  it  was  pleasant  to  see  how  thirteen  years  had  matured  their  piety, 
and  with  what  cordiality  they  met.  Dr.  W.  regretted  much  that  he  had 
not  known  of  the  presence  of  his  good  brother  Kirk,  and  had  not  had 
the  pleasure  of  hearing  again  his  voice  in  the  pulpit  ;  and  Mr.  Kirk  ex- 
pressed his  regrets  that  the  state  of  his  health  rendered  it  necessary  that 
he  should  rest  from  such  labors  at  least  for  a  time. 

"  At  Cincinnati  he  introduced  me  to  his  friend,  Dr.  Lyman  Beecher, 
and  together  we  called  upon  Professor  Stowe,  who  had  been  my  teacher 
at  Dartmouth. 

"  During  twenty- three  years  of  labor  in  Pennsylvania  and  Illinois,  I 
made  the  acquaintance  of  many  excellent  men  whose  memory  I  shall 
cherish  with  gratitude,  but  no  man,  in  so  short  a  time,  made  impressions 
on  my  heart  and  my  mind  so  deep  and  lasting  as  the  Rev.  Dr.  E.  N. 
Kirk,  of  Boston." 


PERSONAL   CHARACTERISTICS.  363 

The  Rev.  F.  R.  Abbe  from  a  long  acquaintance  thus  writes 
of  him  :  — 

"  There  was  about  him  a  sort  of  majesty  of  goodness,  which  made  me 
oftentimes  shrink  from  him  and  avoid  his  society;  partly  because  I  felt 
crushed  into  such  insignificance  in  his  presence,  and  partly  because  I 
was  afraid  he  would  talk  with  me  religiously  on  subjects  which  I  disliked, 
and  urge  me  to  duties  which  I  detested. 

"  A  decided  example  of  this  feeling  occurred  at  Geneva,  in  Switzer- 
land. One  day,  as  I  was  standing  on  the  wharf  watching  the  disem- 
barkation of  the  passengers  from  a  steamer  on  the  lake,  suddenly  Dr. 
Kirk  appeared  on  the  plank,  and  walked  rapidly  ashore.  My  first  im- 
pulse was  to  draw  back;  my  second  was  to  rush  forward  and  grasp  his 
hand  in  a  strange  land.  But  it  was  too  late,  and  he  was  lost  in  the  crowd. 
And  though  I  made  diligent  search  at  the  hotels  and  elsewhere,  I  got  no 
trace  of  him,  except  in  his  handwriting  on  a  letter  to  America,  exposed 
in  the  post  office  for  lack  of  postage.  And  a  few  days  after,  at  Mar- 
tigny,  I  just  missed  him,  for  I  found  his  name  on  the  hotel  register,  and 
learned  that  the  owner  had  left  but  an  hour  before.  I  gazed  long,  re- 
gretfully, on  the  dear  signature. 

"  In  the  summer  of  1856  Dr.  Kirk  made  a  tour  through  parts  of  West- 
ern North  Carolina  and  East  Tennessee.  I  was  in  that  region  at  the 
same  time,  and  though  I  did  not  meet  him,  I  found  strong  traces  of  his 
passage.  For  example,  at  Elizabethton,  Carter  County,  Tenn.,  he  had 
stopped  with  a  Mr.  Cameron,  who  kept  a  little  hotel,  entertained  minis- 
ters without  charge,  and  had  in  his  blood  a  strong  taste  for  doctrine  and 
godliness  such  as  Dr.  Kirk's.  When  I  stopped  with  him  a  few  weeks 
after,  he  was  full  of  enthusiasm  over  his  guest.  '  Did  I  know  him  ? 
Did  I  ever  see  such  a  man  ?  Was  n't  he  considered  very  remarkable  in 
Boston?  Were  ever  such  gracious  words  and  gracious  ways?  And 
then  what  prayers !  Every  member  of  the  family  lifted  in  the  arms  of 
his  prayer,  as  if  he  had  known  them  for  years,  and  knew  just  what  they 
wanted  !  What  a  face  !  What  a  voice  !  What  a  form  !  Did  n't  he 
come  nearer  to  my  idea  of  Jesus  Christ  than  any  man  I  ever  saw?  ' 

"  Dr.  Kirk  also  spent  a  Sabbath,  without  preaching,  a  few  miles  from 
Jonesboro',  Tenn.,  with  a  Colonel  Haynes,  a  lawyer,  a  poet,  a  gentle- 
man, a  man  of  large  culture;  and  I  found  that  he  had  made  a  similar 
impression  upon  him,  as  a  man  of  unusual  intellect,  character,  and  piety; 
if  anything,  deeper,  as  his  stay  was  longer.  For  it  was  true  of  him  (what 
is  not  often  true  even  of  our  new-born  humanity),  that  while  his  first 
impression  was  always  good,  his  second  was  better,  and  his  last  the  best 
of  all. 

"  During  my  ministry  I  occasionally  consulted  him,  not  as  often  as  I 
should,  not  as  often  as  I  might  have  done;  for  he  was  wonderfully  acces- 


364  LIFE   OF  EDWARD   NORMS   KIRK. 

sible  and  ready,  the  one  who  wanted  to  see  him,  as  he  used  to  say,  being 
just  the  one  he  wanted  to  see.  And  his  counsel  was  always  practical, 
pertinent,  stimulating,  holy.  He  had  the  glorious  faculty  of  downright 
positiveness  in  thought,  purpose,  and  statement.  For  example,  when 
asked  in  regard  to  the  best  method  of  treating  the  heterodox  and  skepti- 
cal elements  in  a  parish,  he  sent  me  the  following  directions,  June  24, 
1868:  — 

"  '  1.  You  are  to  guard  your  hearers  against  the  sophisms  and  attract- 
ive features  of  erroneous  systems. 

"  '  2.  It  is  undesirable  to  excite  a  party  spirit. 

"  '  3.  It  is  important  to  show  that  opposition  to  a  doctrine  is  no  unkind- 
ness  to  a  person  or  a  party. 

"  '  4.  It  is  important  to  furnish  your  hearers  with  popular  refutations 
and  defenses,  in  such  a  neighborhood. 

'"5.  It  is  desirable  to  get  at  fundamental  principles  which  are  denied 
or  neglected  by  any  set  of  errorists,  and  instill  them  thoroughly  into  every 
mind  you  can  reach. 

"'6.  Work  for  posterity;  patiently,  consecutively,  steadily,  earnestly, 
kindly,  conscientiously.' 

"  I  have  always  considered  it  one  of  the  very  fortunate  circumstances 
of  my  life,  that  for  so  many  years,  from  boyhood  to  manhood  and  beyond, 
I  enjoyed  the  society  and  friendship  and  influence  of  such  a  man  as  Dr. 
Kirk ;  was  impressed  with  his  character,  was  intimate  at  his  fireside, 
was  fed  at  his  lips,  was  warmed  at  his  heart.  And  I  have  often  summed 
up  his  impression  on  me  in  this  exclamation,  — '  Oh,  for  that  man's 
eternity  ! '  " 

Enthusiasts  fondly  cherishing  some  pet  scheme,  visionary 
men  aiming  at  some  impossible  eminence,  were  patiently 
listened  to,  and  then  perhaps  for  the  first  time  were  given  a 
sound  criticism  upon  their  projects.  Counterfeits  are  always 
proofs  of  something  real.  In  that  study  were  canvassed 
some  of  the  greatest  plans  for  the  benefit  of  the  race  that 
this  generation  has  seen.  Philanthropists  found  there  a 
man  of  kindred  spirit ;  and  men  of  science  an  apt  scholar. 
The  idea  of  the  college  whose  shadows  grace  Lake  Waban 
was  matured  there.  Thither  the  teachers  in  the  time-hon- 
ored "  Mount  Holyoke  "  came  to  get  counsel  in  every  day  of 
perplexity.  The  larger  efforts  in  behalf  of  the  enslaved 
African  race  were  there  debated ;  and  often  new  suggestions 
were  made  whose  force  is  now  everywhere  manifest.  The 
young  men  of  his  adopted  city  consulted  Dr.  Kirk  as  a  watch- 


PERSONAL  CHARACTERISTICS.  365 

man  who  knew  the  city's  wants.  Pastors,  weary  or  heart- 
broken, from  far  and  near,  confided  to  him  their  troubles,  — 
and  no  one  ever  left  but  with  a  lighter  heart.  He  who 
knew  the  heavy  burden  himself,  knew  well  how  to  fathom  the 
depths  of  the  troubled  hearts  whose  stories  he  almost  daily 
heard.  From  one  of  the  many  thus  aided  we  have  received 
the  following,  which  to  many  a  heavy-laden  pastor  will 
doubtless  be  a  well-spring  of  comfort :  — 

"  Dear  Brother,  — In  regard  to  your  personal  affairs,  suffer  me  to 
remind  you  that  every  case  is  peculiar:  God  never  repeats  himself.  And 
moreover,  that  every  heart  learns  one  secret  of  his  discipline  for  itself. 
I  am  quite  sure  that  I  know  some  things  the  blessed  Master  would  say 
to  you,  were  He  to  speak  personally  to  you  about  your  history.  He 
would  remind  you  that  duty  is  yours;  consequences  are  his.  He  would 
assure  you  that  He  loves  you,  if  the  universe  should  despise  you.  He 
assures  you  that  you  are  not  overlooked  by  Him,  because  you  are  by 
this  busy,  selfish  mass  of  human  flesh  —  containing  a  minimum  of  spirit 
—  around  you.  He  would  tell  you  that  faith  untried  does  not  work  ex- 
perience, either  of  yourself  or  of  Him.  Your  duty  is  to  try  then  to  trust, 
though  all  your  trials  prove  failures.  Learn,  my  dear  brother,  oh, 
learn  that  hard,  sweet,  holy  lesson.  It  will  fit  you  for  heaven  more  than 
ten  thousand  days  of  sunshine. 

"  Yours  most  affectionately, 

"Edward  N.  Kirk. 

"Boston,  April  12,  1856." 

This  spirit  of  true  humility  pervaded  all  his  own  conduct, 
and  unquestionably  gave  its  peculiar  charm  to  that  mingled 
authoritativeness  and  graciousness  which  were  so  character- 
istic of  the  man.  We  have  an  instance  eminently  in  point. 
A  friend  thus  writes  :  "  Dr.  Kirk  once  made  a  remark,  gener- 
ous and  kind  in  intention,  but  easily  misunderstood.  Having 
in  vain  tried  to  convince  the  other  side  that  it  had  mistaken 
his  intention,  I  went  to  him. 

"  '  Dr.  Kirk,  your  pardon,  but is  pained  by  a  remark 

you  made.' 

" '  So  I  have  been  told.  But,'  with  his  pleasant  smile,  yet 
decided  tone,  '  my  conscience  is  clear.'' 

"  '  I  know  that  it  is.  But  will  you  permit  me  to  tell  you 
how  it  sounded  to 's  ears  ? ' 


366  LIFE   OF  EDWARD  NORMS   KIRK. 

"  '  Yes  !  tell  me.' 

"  As  I  told  him,  he  looked  down.  When  I  had  stopped,  he 
looked  up  with  his  quick,  bright  smile,  and  said  with  his 
pleasant  voice,  — 

"  '  I  am  very  glad  the  fault  is  mine.  Now  it  can  be  cleared 
right  up.' 

"  And  taking  his  hat,  he  went  direct  to  the  house.  As  he 
took  all  the  blame  upon  himself,  the  other  was  ready  to  take 
it  from  him.  And  they  agreed  to  bear  it  mutually  to  its 
grave,  and  bury  it  forever." 

In  his  dealings  with  brethren  in  the  ministry  he  sometimes 
"  magnified  his  office,"  but  always  with  the  same  benign 
courtesy.  A  prominent  clergyman  of  the  Episcopal  Church 
held  a  long  discussion  with  him,  in  a  series  of  letters,  upon 
the  question  of  ordination  for  the  ministry. 

The  position  taken  by  the  churchman  was,  "  that  the  only 
true  ministry  is  one  ordained  by  a  set  of  men  who  have  been 
invested  with  the  office  of  bishop,  or  superior  to  one  or 
two  orders  of  clergy ;  such  bishops  being  able  to  trace  with- 
out doubt  or  dispute  their  ordination  through  a  perfect,  pure, 
unbroken  line  of  successors."  The  arrogance  and  presump- 
tion of  such  a  doctrine  led  to  this  closing  remark  of  the 
correspondence :  — 

"  This,  dear  brother,  suffer  me  to  add,  turns  our  feet  into  two  diverg- 
ing paths  for  this  life.  That  we  shall  meet  above,  I  doubt  not.  But  our 
communion,  our  cooperation  is  severed  by  this  schismatic  dogma,  as  I 
regard  it;  vital  point,  as  you  esteem  it. 

"  The  Lord  be  with  your  spirit  and  crown  your  ministry  abundantly. 

"  I  am  yours,  with  unabated  esteem, 

"  Edward  N.  Kirk. 
"Beacon  Street,  January  26,  1844." 

It  would  be  a  history  of  profound  interest  were  we  to 
know  the  details  of  his  personal  influence  in  the  conversion 
or  education  of  ministers  of  Christ.  That  history  would 
cover  a  long  list  of  worthy  names,  yet  must  remain  unwrit- 
ten, and  unknown  until  the  Great  Day.  The  lamented  R. 
T.  Robinson,  of  Winchester,  thus  spoke  at  an  anniversary 
in  Mount  Vernon  Church  :  — 


PERSONAL   CHARACTERISTICS.  367 

"I  did  not  study  theology  -with  the  pastor  of  this  church,  though  he 
did  advise  me  in  the  matter,  and  at  my  request  marked  out  a  course  of 
theological  reading.  But  for  what  I  am  as  a  minister,  and  for  the  meas- 
ure of  success  that  has  attended  my  labors  in  the  ministry,  I  am  more 
indebted  to  him  than  to  any  other  man,  living  or  dead.  He  was  before 
my  mind  for  four  years  as  a  model  preacher.  I  do  not  like  to  say  it 
before  him,  but  it  is  true,  —  there  was  about  him  a  spirituality,  a  wean- 
edness  from  the  world,  a  devotion  to  the  work  which  God  had  given  him 
to  do,  a  depth  of  earnestness,  of  religious  feeling,  that  gave  an  unction 
to  his  preaching,  and  revealed  to  me  what  of  all  things  I  most  wanted  to 
know,  —  just  where  is  the  hiding  of  the  preacher's  power  :  not  in  pro- 
found and  original  thought,  not  in  pulpit  oratory,  —  though  the  pastor  of 
this  church  certainly  was  not  wanting  in  either  of  these  things  — but  in 
close  and  constant  companionship  with  God.  How  to  get  Christ  before 
the  eyes  and  into  the  hearts  of  my  people  —  Christ  in  the  beauty  of  his 
character,  in  the  power  of  his  subduing  and  sanctifying  love  —  that  has 
been  my  one  thought  and  endeavor;  and  in  this  matter  I  have  been  mar- 
velously  assisted,  I  cannot  tell  you  how  much  assisted,  by  my  acquaint- 
ance with  Dr.  Kirk  as  a  preacher." 

His  brethren  in  the  ministry  well  knew  his  spirit.  They 
sought  his  assistance  in  every  time  of  religious  awakening. 
The  following  letter,  one  of  many,  expresses  the  spirit  with 
which  every  extra  call  was  met :  — 

"  Dear  Brother,  —  My  heart  would  leap  to  join  you  in  the  blessed 
work  committed  to  your  hands,  but  I  cannot  make  another  engagement 
to  leave  Boston  at  present.  Our  matters  have  reached  a  critical  point. 
I  must  not  leave  my  post.     Let  me  suggest  to  you,  — 

"1.  Tell  Christ,  every  ten  minutes,  how  weak  you  are. 

"  2.  Reverence  the  Holy  Spirit.  Walk  tenderly  amid  his  glorious 
operations. 

"  3.  Try  to  keep  the  church  low  before  God. 

"  4.  Put  the  converts  immediately  under  three  sets  of  influences  :  — 
First,  instruction  in  the  word  of  God;  second,  stimulating  to  abide  in 
Christ;  third,  benevolent  effort,  in  the  case  of  every  one. 

"  May  God  continue  this  mercy.  Your  brother, 

"  Edward  N.  Kirk. 

"Boston,  February  3,  1866." 

Among  his  favorite  resorts  was  that  so  well  known  as 
"  Hillside  "  (the  home  of  Mr.  John  B.  Gough),  the  home 
whose  loving  hearts  retain  both  mementos  and  sweet  mem- 


368  LIFE  OF  EDWARD  NORRIS  KIRK. 

ories  of  his  deep  friendship.  One  letter  of  many  revealing 
at  once  the  playfulness  and  the  earnestness  of  the  man,  we 
append : — 

"Boston,  April  15,  1859. 

"  My  dear  Mrs.  Gough,  —  Your  good  and  true  friend,  Mrs.  James, 
came  to  see  me  to-day,  and  read  me  your  letter  to  her.  When  I  saw- 
how  much  satisfaction  you  had  received  from  the  simplest  expression  of 
sympathy  and  kind  remembrance  by  your  friends,  I  thought  I  could 
please  Christ  and  one  of  his  children  by  sending  '  a  line  from  home.' 
I  understand  all  about  the  pleasure  inspired  by  'pumpkins.'  They  were 
simple  messengers,  but  they  told  you  of  home  and  childhood;  two  green 
spots  that  lie  between  our  Egypt  and  Canaan. 

' '  Then  you  are  sharing  with  John  the  toils  and  trials  of  his  arduous 
employment.  Does  he  think  that  his  is  the  hardest  handle  of  the  plow 
to  hold?  I  know,  if  I  were  married,  it  would  not  be  so.  I  should  say, 
I  had  all  the  agreeable  part  of  public  speaking  to  perform,  which  com- 
pensates for  much  of  a  public  man's  sufferings ;  but  the  wife  shares  only 
the  anxieties  and  abuse.  I  think  of  your  exile  with  satisfaction,  only  as 
I  think  of  the  faithfulness  of  Christ.  I  am  so  sure  that  you  have  com- 
mitted your  ways  to  the  Lord,  and  that  He  is  leading  you,  that  I  rejoice 
in  your  very  privations  —  they  must  be  best  for  you.  He  knows  how  you 
would  enjoy  the  repose  of  Hillside.  But  He  also  knows  that  when  He 
takes  you  to  that  beautiful  mansion  He  is  getting  ready  for  you,  among 
your  many  joys  will  be  this,  that  He  thought  more  of  completing  your 
education  than  of  making  your  life  here  one  of  quiet  and  uninterrupted 
comfort.  '  Home,  sweet  home,'  get  ready,  Mary,  for  home.  Do  not 
think  of  making  Hillside  anything  more  than  a  good  caravansera,  for 
passing  a  few  hours  of  the  journey.  Shall  I  tell  you,  as  the  children 
say,  what  a  good  time  we  shall  have  when  we  get  home  ?  Do  you  know 
how  many  nice  things  He  has  got  for  us  ?  No  more  boarding-school  fare 
and  restraints  ;  no  more  cross  teachers  and  ugly  school-mates.  No;  and 
better  still,  we  shan't  be  ugly  ourselves  any  more.     Won't  that  be  nice? 

"  Tell  John  all  about  it,  and  cheer  him  with  sweet  stories  of  the  good 
times  that  are  coming. 

"  Mount  Vernon  Church  is  becoming  increasingly  precious  to  me.  It 
is  a  dear  people.  And  I  do  not  say  it  because  they  '  surprise  '  me,  or 
flatter  me.  They  do  neither,  but  they  hear  me  attentively,  they  pray 
for  me,  and  they  love  me.  I  am  teaching  the  children  the  Westminster 
Catechism  with  very  encouraging  success.  It  is  hard  corn ;  but  I  grind 
it  up  very  fine,  and  give  it  to  them  in  small  portions,  sweetened  with 
familiar  illustrations.  What  a  capital  teacher  John  would  have  made, 
with  his  faculty  for  illustrating! 

"  Horace  James  has  ennobled  himself  by  his  manly  course  in  regard 
to  the  attacks  on  John's  character. 


PERSONAL   CHARACTERISTICS.  369 

"  God  be  with  you  both.  I  do  not  know  whether  Mrs.  Knox  and  Liz- 
zie are  with  you.     If  they  are,  remember  me  to  them  affectionately. 

"  Your  brother,  Edward  N.  Kirk" 

Mr.  Gough  thus  writes  of  his  friend  :  — 

"  Our  memories  of  Dr.  Kirk,  and  his  sojourn  in  our  family,  are  very 
precious,  and  stand  out  in  clear  relief  from  many  other  events.  His 
power  to  be  happy  and  to  enter  with  strong  sympathy  into  all  that  con- 
cerned us,  was  his  in  an  unusual  degree. 

"  He  would  often  come  to  us  at  '  Hillside,'  and  spend  a  few  days  in 
our  family.  He  was  a  delightful  companion,  engaging  in  all  the  family 
amusements  and  fun  with  a  boyish  heartiness,  yet  never  compromising 
the  dignity  of  the  minister  of  Christ.  While  enjoying  a  joke  and  laugh- 
ing most  heartily  at  some  funny  story,  or  accompanying  the  piano  with 
his  flute,  or  singing  with  the  family  circle,  or  romping  with  the  little  ones, 
he  was  always  the  gentleman;  and  even  when  prancing  like  a  horse 
through  the  parlor,  with  a  sweet  child  on  his  shoulder,  or  playing  '  hide 
and  seek,'  or  parlor  'blind  man's  buff,'  and  unbending  to  the  sports 
of  the  youngest,  he  did  it  with  a  dignity  and  grace  peculiarly  his  own. 
He  believed  thoroughly  in  cheerfulness  as  becoming  a  Christian.  Then 
he  had  a  warm,  loving  heart,  and,  as  far  as  I  knew  him,  was  of  a  deeply 
sympathetic  nature.  I  could  go  to  him  with  any  trouble  or  doubt,  sure 
of  a  patient  hearing,  and  loving,  judicious  advice.  Naturally  skeptical, 
I  have  been  often  perplexed  on  difficult  questions,  and  have  received  se- 
rious injury  from  some  to  whom  I  have  gone  for  help,  treating  me  as  if  I 
had  no  right  to  doubt,  or  as  if  it  were  a  heinous  sin  to  ask  a  question  of 
how  or  why.  Not  so  Dr.  Kirk.  He  would  send  me  away  soothed  and 
strengthened,  confirmed  and  trusting. 

"  He  generally  had  some  proteges  for  whom  he  would  work  and  interest 
others  in  their  behalf.  The  last  interview  I  had  with  him  was  in  his 
house  in  Boston,  he  having  requested  me  to  hear  a  young  man  read  that 
I  might  give  him  a  recommendation,  as  he  wished  to  raise  funds  for  an 
education  by  public  readings. 

"  I  fear  he  was  deceived  and  played  upon  more  than  once,  but  there  are 
many  who  call  him  blessed  for  the  help  and  encouragement  they  have 
obtained  from  him. 

' '  He  never  permitted  an  opportunity  to  escape  him  to  do  work  for  the 
Master.  I  remember  once  when  riding  horseback  with  him,  I  said, 
'  There  's  a  very  wicked  man.'  He  said,  '  Do  you  know  him? '  '  Yes,' 
I  replied.  '  Then  introduce  me,'  which  I  did.  The  man  was  sowing 
oats.  Immediately  on  the  introduction,  Dr.  Kirk  said  with  wonderful 
pathos,  '  Behold  a  sower  went  forth  to  sow,'  and  then  came  such  a  de- 
lightful and  simple  exposition,  such  opening  up  of  the  Scripture,  for  a 
few  minutes,  as  I  scarcely  ever  heard.  Then  came  the  pleasant  '  Good- 
24 


370  LIFE   OF  EDWARD   NORMS   KIRK. 

morning,'  and  we  rode  away.  Some  time  after,  the  man  accosted  me, 
'  Mr.  G.,  was  that  man  a  minister  that  talked  with  me  the  other  day?  ' 
'  Yes.'  '  Well,  you  get  him  to  preach  here,  and  I  '11  go  and  hear  him.' 
Dr.  Kirk  did  preach  for  us  soon  after.  The  man  did  hear  him,  and  did 
not  like  it.  The  text  was,  '  How  shall  we  escape,  if  we  neglect  so  great 
salvation  ?  ' 

"  Swift  once  said,  '  It  is  in  man  as  in  soils,  where  sometimes  there  is  a 
vein  of  gold  which  the  owner  knows  not  of. '  So  I  have  often  thought 
Dr.  Kirk  seemed  to  be  unconscious  of  the  wonderful  power  he  possessed 
over  the  hearts  of  men,  and  so  was  continually  dispensing  sunshine  and 
transmitting  light  with  no  thought  of  the  medium.  I  would  only  remark 
further  that  one  of  the  most  delightful  recollections  of  my  life,  and  one 
of  the  great  privileges  I  have  enjoyed,  has  been  the  intimate  and  kindly 
relation  with  Dr.  Kirk  for  nearly  thirty  years." 

As  a  man  Dr.  Kirk  exhibited  this  large-hearted  sympathy 
in  his  gifts  of  benevolence.  He  regarded  himself  as  an 
almoner  of  his  Father's  bounty.  He  was  generous  in  the 
broadest  sense.  His  charity  was  systematized.  It  was  his 
custom  to  set  aside  a  certain  amount  credited  "  Benevo- 
lence "  at  the  beginning  of  each  year.  This  fund,  from  ten 
per  cent,  to  forty  per  cent,  of  his  income,  was  sacredly  held 
apart  from  his  other  accounts.  With  so  much  to  distribute, 
he  examined  closely  the  various  claims  presented.  Foreign 
missions,  in  which  cause  he  had  begun  his  Master's  work, 
were  always  remembered.  Yet  the  many  branches  of  the 
great  home  work,  in  the  West  and  in  the  South,  as  well  as 
in  city  missions,  were  never  neglected. 

Special  providences  were  always  remembered  in  a  thanks- 
giving offering ;  as  in  the  year  at  the  close  of  the  war,  in 
which  he  records  a  thank-offering  of  a  thousand  dollars,  over 
and  above  all  his  other  benefactions,  bringing  the  amount  up 
to  forty  per  cent,  of  his  income. 

The  spirit  manifested  in  these  offerings  is  attested  by  one 
who  was  always  a  welcome  visitor,  the  Rev.  Joseph  Emerson, 
now  of  Andover  :  — 

"  When  connected  with  the  American  Education  Society  and  the  So- 
ciety for  the  Promotion  of  Collegiate  and  Theological  Education  at  the 
West,  I  knew  Dr.  Kirk  as  a  kind  and  courteous  pastor,  into  whose  pulpit 
I  was  admitted,  and  by  whom  I  was  cordially  aided. 


PERSONAL   CHARACTERISTICS.  371 

' '  But  when  I  entered  the  service  of  the  American  and  Foreign  Chris- 
tian Union,  I  was  drawn  much  nearer  to  him,  and  knew  him  better.  He 
had  been  personally  connected  with  the  effort  for  the  evangelization  of 
Romanists  in  its  early  years,  and  to  the  end  of  life  identified  himself 
with  it. 

"  I  was  far  from  the  head-quarters  of  the  society,  and  but  partially  in- 
formed in  regard  to  the  work.  I  needed  just  the  sympathy  and  counsel 
which  Dr  Kirk  was  able  to  afford,  and  I  soon  found  him  to  accord  them 
in  full  measure.  He  seemed  to  look  upon  my  work  as  his,  because  it 
was  connected  with  Christ's  kingdom;  and  especially  his  because  he  had 
enjoyed  special  facilities  of  aiding  in  it.  When  I  asked  an  interview,  I 
do  not  remember  that  he  ever  put  me  off  to  a  future  time  because  of 
present  pressure  of  work.  If  I  asked  when  he  could  give  me  a  little 
time,  his  answer  would  be:  'Now.  It  is  the  Master's  business.'  If  the 
case  was  one  of  difficulty  and  doubt,  he  would  generally  say:  '  Let  us  go 
to  God  with  it  first,'  and  would  bow  for  a  season  in  prayer. 

"Nor  was  his  help  limited  to  sympathy  and  advice.  He  was  ready  to 
give  hard  labor.  On  one  occasion,  I  was  disappointed  by  another  pastor, 
who  had  engaged  to  preach  at  our  anniversary.  I  was  in  trouble ;  for 
there  were,  I  think,  but  four  week  days  before  the  discourse  should  be 
delivered.  I  went  to  Dr.  Kirk.  He  kindly  said:  '  Come  to  my  study, 
and  we  will  talk  over  the  matter.'  After  a  little  conversation,  seeing 
how  the  matter  stood,  —  that  a  sermon  would  be  expected,  and  very  hard 
to  procure  on  such  short  notice,  —  he  said:  '  I  must  stand  in  the  gap  and 
do  what  I  can.  Give  me  a  text. '  I  mentioned  one  on  which  I  had  in- 
tended to  write,  and  in  regard  to  which  I  had  some  illustrative  facts. 
He  accepted  the  text,  took  the  facts,  and  was  ready  at  the  time. 

"  It  was  not  a  question  with  him,  whether  he  could  do  himself  justice, 
and  maintain  his  reputation  in  the  effort,  but  whether  Providence,  in  the 
circumstances,  seemed  to  devolve  the  duty  on  him. 

"  Neither  did  he  confine  his  aid  to  sympathy,  counsel,  and  labor.  He 
gave  his  money.  He,  gave  it  without  being  asked.  It  was  my  habit, 
after  presenting  the  cause  in  his  pulpit,  to  make  the  collection  by  per- 
sonal solicitation  among  his  people.  It  was  common  for  him,  after  the 
sermon,  before  leaving  the  pulpit,  to  ask  for  my  subscription-book,  and 
put  down  his  own  subscription,  which  would  sometimes  prove  the  largest 
on  the  book. 

"  As  I  went  among  his  rich  parishioners,  who  gave  more  than  those  of 
any  other  church,  it  was  a  frequent  remark:  '  I  don't  see  how  Dr.  Kirk 
can  give  as  he  does.' 

"  In  conclusion,  I  would  only  add:  It  seemed  to  me,  from  all  I  saw  of 
him,  that  Dr.  Kirk  exceeded  all  other  men  with  whom  I  had  been  ac- 
quainted, in  making  the  honor  of  Christ  and  the  advancement  of  Christ's 
kingdom  his  aim  in  every  word  and  act." 


372  '    LIFE   OF  EDWARD   NORRIS  KIRK. 

With  the  exception  of  five  years,  we  have  the  records  of 
his  various  benefactions  from  1826  to  1872.  In  1847  this 
note  was  written :  "  Since  I  began  to  receive  an  income  in 
1836  my  receipts  have  been  $35,145,  of  which  I  have  given 
to  benefit  my  fellow-men,  not  in  my  family,  $4,154."  This 
act  of  giving  was  as  imperative  to  him  as  the  payment  of  his 
rent ;  and  he  never  allowed  a  debt  to  stand  against  his  name. 
It  was  no  gift  measured  out  by  the  amount  in  his  hand  at 
that  moment ;  but  his  account  with  the  Lord  was  kept  in  as 
true  a  business  manner  as  any  other  account. 

We  record  a  few  of  the  yearly  amounts.  In  1852,  with  an 
income  of  $3,778,  his  benefactions  amounted  to  $769,  or 
more  than  twenty  per  cent.  The  next  year  it  was  $944, 
with  only  a  slight  increase  in  his  receipts.  In  1856  his 
benefactions  reached  the  sum  of  $1,240  ;  in  1863,  $2,052  ;  in 
1864,  $2,500;  in  1865,  $2,265.  In  1866  is  the  following 
minute :  — 

"  Benevolent  Fund. 

Last  year  I  owed  it $750.00 

I  subscribed  as  thanksgiving         .....         1,000.00 
This  year  twenty  per  cent,  of  my  income  will  be       .         .     1,547.00 

$3,297.00." 

It  is  needless  to  say  that  the  whole  amount  was  paid  into 
the  Lord's  treasury,  through  the  numerous  stewards  in  the 
different  departments  of  his  work. 

His  benefactions  from  his  earliest  small  income  in  1826  to 
the  time  when  he  left  the  active  pastorate  (leaving  out  the 
five  years  whose  records  are  mislaid)  amount  to  $29,626. 
Adding  to  this  an  estimate  of  the  missing  years,  based  upon 
the  known  amounts  of  the  previous  years  (which  is  certainly 
a  fair  estimate)  we  behold  this  servant  of  his  Master  dispens- 
ing more  than  $33,000  saved  from  his  moderate  income. 
Careful  computation  might  determine  its  present  worth,  had 
it  been  put  at  interest  and  allowed  to  accumulate ;  but  Chris- 
tian stewards  have  no  right  to  calculate  thus. 

Not  every  pastor  has  been  surrounded  with  such  prudent 


PERSONAL   CHARACTERISTICS.  373 

advisers  as  was  he.  His  investments,  under  their  careful 
advice,  were  well  made,  thus  adding  little  by  little,  year  by 
year,  to  a  moderate  competence. 

It  cannot  be  denied,  that  now  and  again  some  worthless 
impostor  availed  himself  of  such  a  helper.  Known  to  the  in- 
mates of  that  quiet  home  on  Staniford  Street,  was  a  son  of 
"sunny  France,"  a  beneficiary  of  our  charitable  friend, — 
aiming  to  give  instruction  in  the  French  language,  yet  unfor- 
tunate in  finding  no  pupils.  By  some  strange  freak,  —  per- 
haps as  a  compensation  for  the  absence  of  anything  else  to 
do,  —  this  beneficiary,  without  a  dollar  to  his  name,  took 
to  himself  a  wife  equally  poor.  Of  course,  what  had  once 
seemed  a  charity,  now  seemed  so  no  longer.  Debts  accumu- 
lated upon  the  young  housekeepers.  The  manly  head 
planned  in  the  second  emergency  as  he  had  in  the  first,  only 
changing  his  methods ;  now  stealing  what  he  could  not  beg. 
He  shared  the  fate  of  all  small  thieves,  —  he  was  embraced 
by  an  official  arm,  and  led  into  the  street,  his  bride  following 
close  after.  Having  attempted  to  beg  a  release  from  the 
officer,  but  all  to  no  purpose,  he  sounded  his  watchword, 
"Dr.  Kirk!"  Passers-by  stopped  to  listen:  "Take  me 
to  Dr.  Kirk !  I  must  see  Dr.  Kirk  !  "  and  had  it  not  been 
for  the  impolite  officer,  the  same  smiling  face  would  have  at- 
tempted another  interview  .at  the  well-known  study  on  Stani- 
ford Street.  None  but  men  of  large  hearts  are  ever  imposed 
upon  by  beggars  ;  yet  it  must  be  confessed  that  no  impostor, 
if  succeeding  once,  could  long  hold  his  own  against  Dr.  Kirk. 

With  all  his  severe  yet  gracious  dignity,  and  with  all  his 
supreme  occupation  with  the  serious  side  of  life,  Dr.  Kirk 
believed  in  joy  and  in  the  use  of  the  rational  pleasures  of 
existence.  He  sometimes  unbent,  and  could  be  sportive  on 
occasion  ;  as  witness  this  note  to  his  friend  Mr.  Tobey,  sent 
in  acknowledgment  of  a  gift  of  Norfolk  oysters,  from  the 
"  Old  Virginia  shore  :  "  — 

"  Staniford  Street,  April  9,  1860. 

"  Dear  Friend,  — Now  that  is  a  return  to  the  good  old  paths,  a  re- 
vival of  pure  orthodoxy, — not  to  touch  a  good  thing  until  the  Levite 
has  received  the  tenth  part  ! 


374  LIFE   OF  EDWARD  NORRIS   KIRK. 

"I  can't  give  Virginia  up  so  long  as  she  provides  such  mollusks,  and 
sends  them  on  here  gratuitously  to  my  friends.  You  will  henceforth 
hint  to  my  friend  Wise,  who  took  the  oyster-beds  under  his  particular 
charge,  that,  if  he  wants  to  stop  my  mouth,  he  must  put  oysters  in  where 
words  come  out.  Yours  thankfully, 

"  Edward  N.  Kirk." 

That  this  openness  to  delight  was  not  a  mere  impulse,  but 
was  accepted  upon  deliberate  conviction  of  its  usefulness  to- 
wards greater  ends,  is  seen  in  this  other  letter  to  the  same 
friend :  — 

"Boston,  August  19,  1859. 
"  Edward  S.  Tobey  : 

"  My  dear  Friend,  —  I  am  relieved  in  hearing  that  your  cough  has 
ceased  to  trouble  you.  Now  I  say  to  you,  what  I  say  to  myself  :  there 
is  such  a  thing  as  a  wise  economy  in  labor,  as  well  as  in  spending  money. 
Give  your  constitution  an  opportunity  of  putting  forth  its  recuperative 
power.  You  are  a  grave  man,  and  therefore  need  more  direct  volition 
to  secure  that  varied  exercise  of  your  powers  which  is  essential  to  health. 
A  man  who  laughs  much  and  heartily — even  a  man  of  levity  —  while 
his  life  is  not  worth  so  much  to  the  world  or  to  himself,  will  in  similar 
circumstances  enjoy  better  health  than  one  who  steadily  contemplates 
life  on  its  more  serious  side.  I  am  thankful  that  you  look  at  life  as  you 
do  ;  but  you  should  also  see  that  it  makes  it  the  more  important  that  you 
do  not  keep  the  bow  strung  too  long  at  a  time.  Now  that  our  dear 
friend  Crockett  is  rewarded,  we  must  be  the  more  earnest. 

"  I  am  sorry  not  to  meet  your  kind  wishes  now.  I  had  written  for 
rooms  in  the  Berkshire  Mountains,  on  the  day  of  my  return,  and  was 
awaiting  a  reply,  or  I  would  have  answered  yours  earlier.  On  my  re- 
turn, I  hope  to  spend  some  pleasant  days  with  you  in  your  cottage 
Kind  regards  to  your  beloved  household.         Truly  yours, 

"  Edward  N.  Kirk." 

But  how  carefully  he  guarded  the  uses  of  joy  aud  beauty, 
may  be  gathered  from  his  views  on  music.  After  laying 
aside  the  active  duties  of  the  pastorate,  he  thus  dictated  his 
thoughts  upon  what  is  from  the  nature  of  the  case  an  im- 
portant subject  in  every  church,  namely,  the  Service  of  Song 
in  the  Sanctuary.  The  conclusion  was  reached  in  his  ripened 
judgment :  — 

"  For  eighteen  years,  more  or  less,  I  have  felt  the  paralyzing  influence 
of  unchristian  views,  entertained  by  even  members  of  the  church,  con- 


PERSONAL   CHARACTERISTICS.  375 

cerning  the  nature  and  design  of  music  in  the  sanctuary.  It  has  been 
boldly  avowed  that  the  attraction  of  the  worldly-minded  and  the  appro- 
bation of  artists  are  supreme  considerations  in  organizing  the  service  of 
the  sanctuary.  The  principle  is  unworthy  the  service  of  Most  High 
God.  Being  carried  into  practice,  it  has  quenched  the  spirit  of  devotion ; 
it  has  rendered  the  audience  so  far  unfit  to  hear  the  word  of  God,  and 
take  the  attitude  either  of  souls  exposed  to  the  second  death  or  of  peni- 
tents before  the  cross.  The  manifest,  if  not  avowed,  design  of  the  per- 
formers has  been  to  exhibit  their  powers  and  help  their  hearers  pass  so 
many  moments  of  sensuous  enjoyment ;  a  state  of  mind  as  opposite  to 
that  of  pure  worship,  as  are  the  dreams  of  the  morning  slumber  to  the 
mental  action  in  solving  a  problem  in  geometry. 

"  If  a  choir  can  be  formed  on  two  conditions,  it  is  very  desirable.  If 
not,  let  us  have  a  nasal  precentor  rather  than  a  fashionable  quartette. 
Those  conditions  are  :  First,  that  they  consent  to  assume  the  office  as 
the  pastor  assumes  his,  and  for  the  same  purpose,  —  not  the  display  of 
their  own  powers,  nor  the  gratification  of  their  own  tastes,  but  to  assist 
hundreds  of  immortal  souls  to  approach  the  most  High  God  with  rever- 
ence, penitence,  confidence,  gratitude,  and  love.  The  other  condition  is, 
that  they  shall  consent  to  obey  the  divine  injunction — Keep  thy  foot 
when  thou  goest  to  the  house  of  God." 

His  practice  during  one  of  those  periodic  excitements  con- 
cerning this  subject  is  exhibited  in  the  ensuing  communica- 
tion. 

"  Staxiford  Street,  May  5,  1862. 

"To  the  Mount  Vernon  Society: 

"  Dear  Friends,  —  As  a  pew-holder,  I  would  attend  your  meetings, 
but  the  other  relations  I  sustain  to  you  seem  to  render  it  advisable  for 
me  not  to  take  any  part  in  the  direction  of  our  financial  affairs. 

"  For  a  long  time  the  question  of  our  music  has  seriously  divided  us, 
as  it  has  so  many  other  societies.  Whatever  my  personal  views  or  feel- 
ings might  be,  I  would  never  have  dictated  your  course,  nor  united  my- 
self to  any  party  movement.     Cliques  in  a  church  are  my  abhorrence. 

"  As  a  church  we  are  brethren;  as  a  society  we  are  friends.  Yet,  if 
my  own  mind  could  have  reached  any  clear  definite  decision,  and  deter- 
mined what  was  right,  I  should  not  have  hesitated  to  give  you  my  opin- 
ions. But  all  I  yet  see  is,  that  there  are  two  sides  to  the  question.  I 
cannot  yet  fully  range  myself  with  either. 

' '  The  church  of  Christ  appears  to  me  to  be  passing  through  a  very 
important  stage  of  her  history  in  the  matter  of  worship.  None  of  us, 
therefore,  is  authorized  to  have  a  very  strong  opinion  or  will  in  the  case, 
until  the  Head  of  the  church  shall  furnish  us  a  light  we  do  not  now  en- 
joy.   I  respect  the  views  of  both  sides.     Both  are  true,  but  like  tho 


376  LIFE   OF  EDWARD  NORMS  KIRK. 

truths  of  a  science  in  its  cruder  stage,  apparently  irreconcilable.  The 
modesty  of  science  always  waits  patiently  for  the  solution,  and  spends 
its  energy  in  aiming  to  discover  the  principle  which  shall  reconcile  the 
seemingly  discordant  views. 

"  On  the  one  hand,  then,  it  will  not  do  for  me  who  am  not  satisfied 
,  with  the  present  fashion,  to  say:  'this  is  all  wrong;  it  is  mere  artistic 
exhibition;  it  is  not  worship,  it  is  amusement.'  I  confess  to  you,  dear 
friends,  my  heart  says  so.  But  my  judgment  says,  I  have  no  right  to 
reach  that  conclusion.  It  is  certain  that  God  should  have  the  best  talent, 
the  highest  culture  at  both  ends  of  the  sanctuary.  And  I  cannot  see 
why  I  might  not  as  well  discard  rhetoric  and  elocution  and  college- 
taught  ministers,  as  thoroughly  trained  choirs. 

"This  consideration  has  for  many  years  kept  me  from  entering  the 
party  who  insist  on  exclusive  congregational  singing. 

"  And  I  have  believed  also  that  there  are  portions  of  Scripture,  and 
pieces  of  semi-inspired  poetry  which  can  be  effectively  rendered  only  by 
a  well-trained  choir. 

"  Yet,  on  the  otber  hand,  looking  at  the  case  as  it  is,  I  must  say,  that 
the  objections  to  paid  choirs  are  very  strong;  not  strong  enough  perhaps 
to  neutralize  the  considerations  I  have  just  presented,  but  too  strong  to 
be  put  down  by  ridicule  or  authority  or  will  or  scientific  opposition. 

"  They  come  substantially  to  this :  The  majority  of  the  members  of  the 
church  are  not  satisfied,  edified  or  aided  in  worshiping  God  by  the  present 
style  H)f  music  in  our  churches. 

"  On  this  point  I  recognize  a  change  in  my  own  feelings.  When  our 
church  began  to  worship  in  this  present  house,  I  enjoyed  the  services  of 
the  choir.  The  mere  fact  that  I  was  required  to  be  silent  while  the  choir 
was  leading  appeared  to  me  no  more  objectionable  than  the  people's 
silence  while  I  led  them  in  prayer. 

"  But  gradually  my  feelings  changed ;  the  choir  seemed  to  me  to  go 
continually  farther  from  me,  until  at  length  I  came  to  be  like  a  post 
standing  in  my  pulpit,  waiting  until  something  was  finished  at  the  other 
end  of  the  house,  which  I  could  not  understand,  in  which  I  had  no  part 
nor  sympathy.  As  leader  of  the  public  services,  I  felt  myself  interfered 
with ;  not  personally,  but  officially.  With  me  it  is  a  matter  of  supreme 
importance  to  have  a  religious  meeting  get  at  the  opening  of  the  service 
a  certain  tone,  which  may  be  called  the  key-note.  If  that  is  not  secured 
from  the  beginning  everything  is  marred,  if  not  lost. 

"This  may  be  fancy.  And  if  it  is,  I  certainly  would  not  have  it 
direct  the  proceedings  of  a  society  like  ours.  If  there  is  anything  in  it, 
there  is  much  in  it.  The  pulpit  and  the  organ-loft  must  fully  harmonize. 
They  do  not  now  harmonize.  I  am  stating  only  the  fact.  To  change 
it,  the  choir  must  abandon,  as  sacredly,  as  scrupulously  as  the  preacher, 
all  artistic  exhibition. 


PERSONAL   CHARACTERISTICS.  377 

"  When  I  hear  it  declared  by  good  men  that  young  people  will  go  to 
the  churches  where  the  best  music  is  performed;  and  when  I  understand 
that  praising  God  has  become  a  trap  to  catch  the  silly,  I  am  confounded. 
Dear  friends,  let  us  have  no  part  in  that.  The  church  of  God  is  lost, 
the  Sabbath,  the  sanctuary,  the  worship  of  God,  the  grandeur,  solem- 
nity, reality  of  our  religion  are  annihilated,  as  soon  as  that  principle  is 
conceded.  I  can  never  give  in  to  it.  I  never  will  sanction  the  singing  a 
hymn  of  penitence  and  praise  to  amuse  the  young.  I  never  will  be  part- 
ner in  a  religious  interest  that  must  be  sustained  by  such  desecration. 

"  Let  us  together  abandon  that  ground.  If  Mount  Vernon  pews  must 
be  emptied  of  the  lovers  of  music  because  some  other  concert  room  has 
better  performances,  let  us  close  the  concern  at  once.  I  cannot  consent 
to  carry  it  on  on  those  grounds.  I  am  of  the  party  who  maintain  that 
God  should  first  be  pleased  with  our  music. 

"Why  has  music  thus  continually  been  an  apple  of  discord  in  the 
church?  Because  it  is  so  easy  to  make  it  an  entertainment  to  the  irre- 
ligious. Get  more  piety,  is  the  prescription  I  would  make  for  our 
troubles. 

"When  I  commenced  my  ministry  I  was  driven  from  a  church.  Older 
members  of  the  profession  told  me  I  never  could  have  an  audience  if  I 
continued  to  preach  as  I  did,  so  plainly  and  pungently,  and  against  so 
many  of  the  artistic  rules  of  the  profession.  My  reply  was:  'Brethren, 
if  God  will  only  help  me  to  be  really  in  earnest,  I  will  risk  my  popularity, 
and  the  effects  of- earnest  preaching  on  my  congregation.'  So  I  say  of 
music:  get  more  heart,  and  people  will  come  to  hear  and  be  profited.  I 
have  heard  singing  in  revivals  of  religion  that  would  draw  together 
more  infidels,  and  produce  on  them  profounder  convictions  of  the  truth 
of  Christianity  and  the  sincerity  of  Christians  than  all  the  choir-singing 
I  have  ever  heard.  We  want  more  heart,  more  faith,  more  simple  ear- 
nestness. 

"But  now,  the  practical  question  is,  What  shall  we  do  just  as  we  are? 
I  reply,  let  us  make  a  complete,  fraternal  compromise.  Determine  that 
music  shall  not  make  us  discordant  ;  that  this  question  shall  not  split  oui 
society  nor  alienate  friend  from  friend.  Let  us  only  agree  that  exhibi- 
tion is  not  the  end  of  our  choir-arrangement. 

"Let  us  do  the  best  we  can  in  the  circumstances;  respecting  each 
other's  honest  differences,  not  dictating  to  each  other,  not  triumphing 
over  one  another;  but  loving,  as  brethren. 

"  Having  thus  fully  expressed  my  views  and  feelings,  I  shall  cordially 
acquiesce  in  any  arrangement  you  may  see  fit  to  make.     If  my  feelings 
are  not  met  in  the  matter,  they  shall  not  embarrass  your  movements. 
"  Your  loving  friend  and  pastor, 

"Edward  N.  Kirk." 


378  LIFE   OF  EDWARD  NORMS   KIRK. 

No  respite  came  to  the  indefatigable  worker,  and  he  sought 
none.  Failing  health  only  hindered,  but  did  not  stop,  his 
active  labors.  Scarcely  had  the  echoes  of  the  terrible  war 
died  away,  before  the  churches  of  the  North  recognized  a  new 
object  for  their  charities.  Four  and  a  half  millions  of  the 
colored  race  were  now  free  citizens.  The  elective  franchise, 
with  all  its  significance  and  power,  was  bestowed  upon  this 
people.  It  was  a  risk  incurred  without  a  precedent  in  his- 
tory, the  only  seeming  prudence  of  the  act  being  prospective, 
as  expressed  by  President  Lincoln  in  1864  :  "  The  time  may 
come  when  the  colored  freedman  by  his  ballot  shall  restore 
the  jewel  of  liberty  to  the  diadem  of  the  republic." 

Trained  in  the  school  of  slavery,  they  brought  into  freedom 
its  great  vices.  It  thus  became  a  national  as  well  as  re- 
ligious duty  to  educate  and  train  them  in  the  principles  of 
purity  and  truth.  The  antagonism  of  their  late  masters  was 
shared  in  part  among  well-meaning  people  of  the  North. 
Strong  prejudices  were  to  be  overcome  both  North  and 
South. 

Upon  the  American  Missionary  Association  devolved  by 
right  this  great  work,  as  it  had  for  years  held  the  ground. 
The  comparatively  few  who  were  previously  interested  in  the 
work  were  determined  to  lift  the  society  into  greater  prom- 
inence, and  secure  for  it  the  cooperation  of  the  churches  of  the 
North.  To  accomplish  this  herculean  task  it  must  over- 
come the  deep-rooted  prejudices  of  many  Christian  men. 
With  a  faith  broad  as  the  charity  which  they  prayed  for, 
they  met  in  the  Plymouth  Church,  Brooklyn,  N.  Y.,  Oct. 
25th  and  26th,  1865,  to  organize  the  "new  departure."  1 

1  The  American  Missionary  Association  is  that  they  were  all  organized  on  the  general 
the  consolidated  product  of  four  other  organ-  principle  of  carrying  the  gospel  and  its  re- 
lations, viz:  the  "Amistad  Committee,''  lated  institutions  to  the  despised  races  in 
formed  in  1839;  the  "Union  Missionary  this  and  in  other  lands.  The  Amistad 
Society,-'  in  1841;  the  "Committee  for  Committee  was  the  seed-germ  of  all  the  rest. 
West  India  Missions,"  in  18-14,  and  the  It  was  composed  of  gentlemen  who  undertook 
"  Western  Evangelical  Missionary  Society,"  to  collect  money  and  secure  counsel  to  aid  in 
in  1813.  The  three  bodies  first  named,  the  defense  and  liberation  of  the  forty-two 
were  merged  in  the  A.  M.  A.  at  its  forma-  Africans  who  had  risen  against  their  cap- 
tion Sept.  3,  1846,  and  the  last,  two  years  tors  on  board  the  Spanish  schooner  "  Amis- 
afterwards.     It  should  be  noticed,  however,  tad,"  and  killed  all  but  the  two  whom  they 


PERSONAL   CHARACTERISTICS.  379 

It  was  all  important  that  the  president  of  the  association 
should  be  a  man  who  represented  and  embodied  in  himself 
the  very  spirit  of  the  great  work  to  be  accomplished.  They 
not  only  needed  a  man  whose  position  at  the  time  was  right 
on  this  greatest  of  the  public  questions  which  then  demanded 
a  solution,  but  a  man  whose  past  character  would  be  a  guar- 
antee, to  the  churches  and  to  all  good  people,  that  the  society 
which  he  represented  would  be  faithful  to  the  trusts  commit- 
ted to  it.     The  man  chosen  was  Edward  Norris  Kirk,  D.  D. 

"  It  is  my  impression,"  writes  one  of  the  secretaries,  "  that 
in  looking  the  country  over  no  man  could  have  been  found 
who  would  more  fully  have  bodied  forth  the  spirit  of  the 
work  among  the  lowly.  His  name  was  familiar  and  revered 
in  both  hemispheres,  and  was  a  tower  of  strength  and  con- 
fidence to  the  association  among  all  good  people." 

In  a  sermon  of  great  strength  and  pathos  founded  upon 
Acts  xvii.  26,  Dr.  Kirk  in  that  meeting  forecast  the  great 
work  upon  which  they  were  entered.  He  spoke  for  God's 
honor,  for  the  redemption-work  of  Christ,  for  the  nation's 
honor  and  welfare,  for  the  rights  of  the  injured  African  :  — 

"  Four  millions  of  Africans,  cultivated,  refined,  among  us,  would  have 
made  the  Southern  States  like  another  world.     There  would  have  been 


reserved  to  navigate  the  vessel  back  to  Af-  and  for  those  who  had  engaged  in  the  de- 
frica.  They  knew  that  their  country  lay  fense  that  it  seemed  to  them  an  appropriate 
toward  the  east,  and  in  that  direction  they  moment  to  establish  a  mission  in  Africa, 
compelled  these  men  to  steer  during  the  day,  These  Africans,  so  strangely  thrown  upon 
but  when  night  came  on  the  men  would  turn  their  hands,  were  at  once  put  under  Chris- 
the  vessel  about  and  run  for  our  coast.  After  tian  instruction,  and  in  the  November  en- 
drifting  off  and  on  in  this  way  for  a  number  suing,  sailed  for  their  native  country  ac- 
of  weeks,  the  schooner  was  finally  picked  up  companied  by  three  missionaries.  This 
by  one  of  our  revenue  cutters  and  brought  was  the  beginning  of  the  Mendi  Mission, 
into  New  London,  Conn.  A  brief  examina-  born  so  manifestly  of  Providence,  and  con- 
tion  of  the  negroes  in  the  United  States  dis-  tinning  its  favored  child  until  now.  And 
trict  court,  resulted  in  their  being  held  for  it  is  worth  noticing  that  the  work  of  the 
murder  on  the  high  seas,  and  they  were  com-  committee  and  of  the  organizations  which 
mitted  to  jail  in  New  Haven  to  await  trial,  were  merged  in  the  A.  M.   A.,  in   184G, 

The  case  went  from  court  to  court,  until  were,  up  to  that  date,  wholly  for  Africa, 

finally  in  March,  1841,  at  the  demand  of  so  that  African  missions  were  properly  the 

the  Spanish  government,  which  claimed  the  mothers  of  the  association.      And   though 

schooner  and  its  cargo,  it  was  argued  in  the  the    work    has    been    broadened,    and     the 

supreme  court  of  the  United  States,  —  John  methods   somewhat  changed,  yet  the  salva- 

Quincy  Adams  and  Roger  S-  Baldwin  for  tion  of  the  African  race  is  still  the  central 

the  prisoners,  who  were  pronounced  free.  idea  of  the  association's  plans  and  efforts. 

It  was  such  a  triumph  for  the  committee 


380  LIFE   OF   EDWARD   NORMS   KIRK. 

no  millions  of  white  trash;  no  bowie-knife,  bullying,  blustering,  treason- 
breeding  civilization. 

"  No,  it  will  not  do  for  a  great  nation  to  settle  questions  about  the  ne- 
gro merely  by  taste  and  preference,  by  convenience  and  custom,  by  even 
policy  and  expediency.  Eternal  principles  are  involved  in  it.  God's 
eternal  government  takes  cognizance  of  this  subject  in  all  its  dimensions 
and  ramifications. 

"  The  question  before  us  now  is,  as  it  ever  has  been,  What  is  right? 

"  We  surely  have  learned  one  lesson  at  great  cost.  It  will  not  answer 
for  a  Christian  people  to  put  a  leprous  stone  in  the  very  foundation  of 
their  great  temple.  It  will  infect  the  whole;  and  at  last  require  to  be 
taken  down,  that  the  infected  parts  may  be  cast  away. 

"  War  was  sent,  with  its  rough  hand,  to  tear  it  down,  while  the  envi- 
ous nations  sat  and  mocked  the  misery  of  our  condition. 

"  Shall  we  build  so  again?  The  demon  is  exorcised;  but  he  is  wan- 
dering about  in  dry  places,  seeking  rest  and  finding  none.  If  he  returns, 
he  will  bring  with  him  seven  other  spirits  worse  than  the  first. 

"  Can  we  afford  to  enter  on  another  epoch  of  our  history  with  our  old 
notions  and  habits  unchanged  ?  Have  we  learned  nothing  by  such  a 
war?  Is  it  not  manifest  that  God  has  forgiven  our  old  sins,  and  put  us 
on  probation  once  more? 

"  Assert  the  manhood  of  the  negro;  make  it  appear  as  horrible  to  de- 
fraud him  as  to  defraud  a  white  man  of  his  rights;  to  inflict  on  him  pen- 
alties for  being  what  his  Creator  intended  him  to  be;  to  make  him  the 
mere  tool  of  another's  selfishness;  to  discourage  his  reaching  the  highest 
attainments  and  position  he  is  capable  of  reaching  and  attaining.  Insist 
on  the  principle,  no  matter  who  is  to  enforce  it,  the  general  or  the  state 
government,  that  nationality  and  color  shall  not  be  the  test  of  the  right 
to  elect  our  rulers,  to  testify  in  our  courts,  to  sue  before  them,  and,  if  a 
native,  to  be  chosen  to  sit  in  the  presidential  chair.  In  a  word,  every 
human  being  shall,  on  this  part  of  God's  earth,  stand  on  a  perfect  level 
with  every  other  man  before  the  law.  Caste-legislation  shall  no  longer 
dishonor  us  and  mar  the  beautiful  simplicity  of  our  democratic  govern- 
ment." 

Year  after  year  these  annual  meetings  were  carefully  noted 
as  opportunities  to  voice  the  call  to  a  further  advance.  It 
seems  almost  invidious  to  cull  from  addresses  of  such  beauty 
any  lines  as  more  beautiful  than  others.  But  better  this  than 
that  all  should  pass  unnoticed. 

In  Springfield,  Mass.,  1868,  after  a  fitting  introduction  he 
said :  — 

"  Let  us  see  to  it  that  we  get  God's  point  of  view.     The  question  was 


PERSONAL   CHARACTERISTICS.  381 

proposed  to  me  years  ago,  '  What  makes  a  great  man?  '  I  have  found 
no  better  answer  since  than  that  then  given  —  Sympathy  with  God. 

"  We  are  now  in  the  midst  of  great  events.  Events  so  wonderful 
have  followed  each  other  in  such  rapid  succession,  that  we  have  almost 
lost  the  sentiment  of  wonder.  We  are  now  at  the  beginning  of  one  of 
the  world's  great  epochs.  The  King  has  made  another  grand  movement 
to  prepare  the  highway  through  the  desert.  Mountains  are  leveled,  val- 
leys are  rising,  crooked  ways  are  made  straight.  The  last  Bourbon 
crown  has  fallen.  There  is  trembling  in  Babylon.  Spain  is  free,  politi- 
cally, religiously.  Prussia  is  taking  the  lead  of  southern  and  middle  Eu- 
rope. Austria  is  entering  on  the  course  of  a  liberal  policy.  Italy  opens 
her  doors  to  the  gospel.  Slavery  is  dead  in  the  republic,  destroyed  by 
the  mercy  of  God  through  the  agency  of  its  defenders,  bound  and  barred 
in  its  sepulchre  by  that  very  Constitution  which  slaveholders  designed  to 
be  its  bulwark,  but  which,  in  the  circumstances,  empowered  our  chief 
magistrate,  by  a  stroke  of  his  pen,  to  terminate  the  bloody  history  of 
oppression. 

"  The  negro  is  here,  to  be  disposed  of  by  us  either  to  our  great  bene- 
fit or  our  immeasurable  loss —  perhaps  our  ruin.  God  has  put  him  here 
through  man's  wicked  agency.  And  now  the  white  man  is  on  probation. 
God  is  watching  his  treatment  of  his  brother,  holding  up  to  our  view  the 
terrible  period  of  the  war  as  a  warning.  As  my  friend  observes,  '  The 
sufferings  of  us  Southrons  are  not  your  work;  no,  nor  our  own — God 
has  done  it.  The  South  was,  one  day,  a  family  filled  with  pride,  with 
power,  with  wealth  and  beautiful  young  life.  Into  this  family  suddenly 
came  the  angel  of  death,  riding  on  his  pale  horse.'  Yes.  this  is  a  just 
and  terrible  picture.  We  can  see  the  terrible  riders,  War  and  Death. 
With  the  fell  swoop  of  their  merciless  scythes  they  cut  down  beauty, 
wealth,  and  power.  They  trample  King  Cotton  and  his  crown  into  the 
dust.  They  send  swaying  armies  of  both  friend  and  foe  across  the  smil- 
ing fields,  leaving  in  their  track  a  barren  wilderness,  whose  only  monu- 
ments are  dreary  chimney-stacks,  showing  the  hearths  whose  fires  are 
quenched,  around  which  the  storm  may  howl,  but  the  song  upriseth  and 
the  greetings  of  affection  are  witnessed  no  longer. 

"  I  then  insist  on  another  point.  Our  unchristian,  inhuman  prejudice 
against  this  and  every  class  of  men,  whether  springing  from  our  own  in- 
justice to  them,  or  any  of  their  physical  peculiarities,  must  be  aban- 
doned by  us,  more  even  for  our  own  sake  than  for  the  sake  of  those 
whom  we  despise.  The  brotherhood  of  man  is  as  much  a  doctrine  of 
Christianity  as  the  existence  of  God.  Drive  them  to  Africa!  —  a  scheme 
as  preposterous  as  it  is  impolitic.  Why  not  send  me  to  Scotland  because 
my  father  was  born  there ;  and  all  the  descendants  of  Elder  Brewster 
back  to  England?  " 


382  LIFE   OF  EDWAED  NORKiS   KIRK. 

The  last  meeting  which  he  attended  was  held  at  Newark, 
N.  J.,  November  5,  1873.  It  was  a  meeting  never  to  be  for- 
gotten, because  of  his  thrilling  words  of  exhortation  and  his 
marvelous  prayers. 

His  last  public  address  to  the  association,  written  by  an 
amanuensis  and  read  by  Secretary  Woodworth  amid  an  in- 
tense silence,  was  as  follows  :  — 

"  Beloved  Brethren:  I  congratulate  you  on  the  signs  of  the  times. 
God  be  praised  for 

"I.  The  iconderful  upward  tendency  of  the  African  race  in  our  land. 
When  the  spelling-book  was  first  put  into  the  hands  of  this  people,  their 
reception  of  it  awakened  contrasted  emotions  in  the  white  race.  The 
wonderful  eagerness  of  old  and  young  to  learn  the  art  of  reading  was 
regarded  by  one  class  as  '  merely  another  proof  of  unchangeable  child- 
ishness. A  book  was  a  toy  they  never  could  own  before  ;  and  now  they 
wished  to  grasp  it,  and  play  with  it,  and  be  like  the  white  race.  But  the 
novelty  would  soon  pass  away,  and  all  would  perceive  that  the  Creator 
had  never  designed  the  black  pigment  to  cover  a  cultivated  mind.  They 
are,  and  ever  must  be,  a  lazy,  unaspiring  people.  Our  beneficent  Crea- 
tor had  designed  them  for  unrequited  toil  and  merely  physical  develop- 
ment. Their  present  eagerness  to  read  has  no  other  origin  than  superfi- 
cial curiosity  and  a  desire  to  read  for  themselves  the  mysterious  book.' 

"  Probably  this  might  be  called  the  conviction  of  half  our  neighbors 
North  and  South.  With  a  cynical  and  skeptical  eye  they  saw  this  zeal 
for  books  and  papers.  But  another  class  of  us  saw  the  whole  matter  in 
another  light.  We  reverence  the  soul  made  in  the  image  of  our  Crea- 
tor. We  regarded  color  and  other  physical  peculiarities  as  in  no  way 
excluding  this  race  from  a  full  participation  in  the  rights  and  privileges 
of  humanity. 

"  Some  interpreted  the  war  as  merely  changing  the  external  relations 
of  this  inferior  class.  We  saw  in  it  the  hand  of  God  revealing  to  us  our 
relations  to  them,  our  solemn  responsibilities  and  our  new  privileges  pro- 
duced by  their  external  change.  We  interpreted  this  love  of  the  spell- 
ing-book as  a  pulsation  of  the  human  heart.  We  recognized  in  it  the 
badge  of  brotherhood,  for  we  saw  in  them  just  the  feelings  we  should 
have  had  in  their  circumstances.  The  soul,  long  imprisoned  in  the  dark- 
ness of  a  dungeon,  was  struggling  upward  to  greet  the  light  just  glim- 
mering into  that  darkness.  The  cold  tents  around  the  Hampton  Institute, 
the  tearful  eye  and  downcast  visage  of  hundreds  knocking  in  vain  at  the 
doors  of  the  schools  in  Tougaloo,  Atlanta,  and  Selma,  are  perfectly  nat- 
ural. They  do  not  surprise  us.  We  behold  in  these  scenes  the  hand  of 
Africa's  God  and  America's  God  pointing  to  us  the  work  that  we  are  to 


PERSONAL   CHARACTERISTICS.  383 

do.  It  is  our  fathers'  God  interpreting  to  us  a  part  of  his  mysterious 
design  in  our  national  history. 

"  Brethren,  it  is  an  amazing  spectacle  :  upwards  of  fifteen  thousand 
souls  enrolled  on  our  school-lists,  eagerly  awaiting  our  guidance  into  the 
great  world  of  literature,  to  make  them  sharers  of  its  glorious  treasures! 
What  an  appeal  they  make  to  our  noblest  sympathies!  What  an  encour- 
agement to  us  who  hope  to  see  that  race  emancipated  from  ignorance  as 
they  have  been  from  the  chattel  state !  What  mission  field  in  the  world 
inspires  such  hope?  Where  do  the  heathen  so  rush  to  the  missionaries, 
supplicating  admission  to  their  schools? 

"Must  not  the  good  sense,  the  humane  feeling,  of  our  white  brethren 
soon  perceive  that  the  negro  is  a  man  —  a  man  entitled  to  all  the  rights 
and  privileges  of  manhood  ?  Will  they  not  soon  share  our  conviction 
that  the  well-being  of  our  common  country  demands  the  expulsion  of 
ignorance  from  every  class  in  the  land?     Yes,  brethren,  I  see 

"II.  A  change  rapidly  advancing  in  the  Southern  States.  Men  of  ob- 
servation and  reflection  are  accepting  as  facts,  that  the  negro  can  be 
educated;  that  he  ought  to  be  educated;  that  our  motive  in  sending 
teachers  and  books,  in  planting  schools  and  colleges  in  their  States,  is 
purely  Christian  patriotism;  that  their  local  interests  and  our  common 
interests  are  promoted  by  our  action. 

"  I  congratulate  you  above  all  on  the  fact  that 

"  III.  The  seal  of  the  Holy  Spirit  rests  on  our  labors  and  our  laborers. 
We  devoutly  acknowledge  his  presence  and  power  in  the  numerous 
revivals  of  religion  in  our  churches  and  schools  during  the  past  year. 
And  we  especially  thank  Him  that  these  blessed  manifestations  have 
conveyed  to  this  neglected  and  misguided  people  new  ideas  of  the  mode 
of  conducting  revivals;  and  especially  that  physical  excitement  is  not 
the  end  to  be  sought  in  them;  that  the  essential  element,  in  them  is  a 
radical  change  of  heart  manifested  in  a  new  life  of  conformity  to  the  will 
of  God." 

His  sympathies  reached  deeper  than  abolitionism.  It  was 
not  enough  that  men  should  be  free,  but  they  must  be  built 
up  in  the  principles  of  Christian  liberty.  While  many  of 
the  leaders  in  the  antislavery  reform  were  disbanding  their 
organizations  because  their  work  was  done,  he  who  had  be- 
gun the  great  work  long  before  they  thought  of  it,  regarded 
his  work  as  simply  changed  in  form.  It  is  only  another 
illustration  of  the  fact  that  Christianity  is  more  than  reform. 
Tearing  down  slavery  is  not  the  building  up  of  the  slave. 
Abolitionism    is    Christian,  but  is  not  Christianity.     Chris- 


384  LIFE   OF  EDWAED   NOKRIS   KIRK. 

tianity  in  all  its  development  is  reformation,  or  regeneration. 
The  abolitionist  attacked  a  system ;  the  Christian  must  de- 
stroy the  evil  system  and  build  up  those  who  were  injured  by 
it.  Not  every  Christian  was  an  abolitionist ;  and  not  every 
abolitionist  was  a  Christian,  judging  by  their  own  preten- 
sions. Edward  Norris  Kirk  was  an  abolitionist  and  a  Chris- 
tian ;  or,  rather,  he  recognized  the  destruction  of  slavery  as 
necessarily  involved  in  the  precepts  of  the  gospel. 

The  churches  of  America  have  been  accused  of  cowardice 
in  the  work  of  abolition,  but  upon  the  churches  alone,  under 
a  civil  government,  depends  the  chief  burden  of  benefiting 
the  colored  race. 

The  following  communication  from  the  Rev.  George  Gan- 
nett, Principal  of  the  Gannett  Institute,  Chester  Square, 
Boston,  presents  from  the  standpoint  of  an  intimate  friend- 
ship, an  estimate  of  Dr.  Kirk's  mental  and  spiritual  habits :  — 

"  For  ten  years  and  more,  Dr.  Kirk  was  my  friend  and  pastor.  He 
possessed  marked  individuality,  and  as  a  person  he  holds  in  the  memory 
of  the  writer  a  place  peculiarly  his  own.  Externally,  he  stands  before 
me  still,  a  man  of  fine  presence  and  noble  bearing,  whose  every  move- 
ment was  graceful,  whose  every  action  was  seemly. 

"  Possessed  of  clear  and  quick  perceptions,  delicate  and  refined  sensi- 
bilities, and  an  instinctive  discernment  of  all  things  required  by  the  law 
of  fitness  in  social  intercourse,  he  was  ever  recognized  as  a  true  gentle- 
man, in  all  the  varied  circles  in  which  he  moved. 

"His  mind,  eminently  vigorous  and  comprehensive,  was  intuitive 
rather  than  logical;  the  truths  which  he  discovered  were  seen  clearly  as 
by  an  inner  light;  but  his  intuitions  were  not  those  of  the  mere  rational- 
ist; they  were  illuminated  by  the  gospel,  and  became  to  him  living  con- 
victions incomparably  precious.  The  versatility  of  Dr.  Kirk's  mind  was 
somewhat  remarkable.  He  evinced  a  cultivated  taste  and  judgment  in 
the  direction  of  general  literature,  poetry,  and  art. 

"  But  his  imagination  and  aesthetic  faculties  did  not  dominate.  It  was 
not  so  much  in  an  ideal  as  in  a  real  world  tbat  he  lived.  He  sought 
chiefly  for  that  kind  of  truth  which  was  adapted  to  recover  the  soul  to 
God.  His  love  for  the  human  soul,  and  for  the  truth  that  would  save  it, 
was  intense.  As  a  theologian,  in  the  technical  sense  of  the  term,  he  was 
not  preeminent;  but  he  was  more  and  better  than  a  mere  theologian. 
To  him  truth  was  infinitely  more  than  formulas  and  human  speculations. 
So  well  balanced  and  conservative  were  his  views  of  doctrines,  that  the 


PERSONAL  CHARACTERISTICS.  385 

most  acute  minds  might  listen  to  him  from  Sabbath  to  Sabbath  without 
being  able  to  decide  whether  he  was  an  Old  or  a  New  School  man. 

"  The  writer  once  spent  several  hours  with  him,  in  an  earnest  discus- 
sion of  theological  questions.  The  remembrance  of  this  interview  is  ex- 
ceedingly pleasant,  such  was  the  impression  made  of  his  great  fairness 
and  candor,  and  of  his  sincere  desire  to  consider  carefully  both  sides  of 
important  controverted  themes. 

• '  Those  who  knew  Dr.  Kirk  only  as  a  preacher,  distinguished  for  a 
practical  style,  could  scarcely  be  aware  of  his  mental  tendencies  towards, 
and  his  deep  interest  in,  psychological  and  metaphysical  inquiries.  A 
few  years  before  his  death,  he  stated  to  me  that  he  had  formerly,  for  the 
culture  of  his  own  mind,  as  well  as  to  gratify  his  taste  for  such  studies, 
carefully  thought  out  and  written  the  outlines  of  a  system  of  mental  phil- 
osophy; and  he  proposed  to  me  to  supplement  the  instructions  which  I 
was  then  giving  to  my  pupils  in  this  department,  by  a  course  of  lectures. 

"  The  matter  arranged,  he  appeared  in  my  class-room  once  a  week, 
promptly  at  the  moment  fixed,  until  ten  or  twelve  lectures  had  been 
given. 

"  While  I  did  not  expect  more  than  a  superficial  treatment  of  such  a 
subject  by  one  the  greater  part  of  whose  life  had  been  devoted  so  posi- 
tively to  the  concrete  rather  than  the  abstract,  I  must  confess  that  I 
was  amazed  at  the  extensive  research,  large  resources,  and  clear,  decided 
views  exhibited.  It  was  evident  that  he  had  read  not  only  the  works  of 
the  English  and  Scotch  philosophers,  but  that  he  was,  in  some  good 
degree,  familiar  with  the  most  advanced  philosophical  thought  of  the 
modern  world.  Upon  the  essential  phenomena  and  laws  of  the  mind  he 
had  seized  with  a  comprehensive  grasp,  and  was  able  to  use  intelligently 
the  nomenclature  of  the  latest  and  most  approved  text-books. 

"  In  the  education  of  the  young,  and  in  the  work  of  the  educator,  Dr. 
Kirk  exhibited  a  deep  interest.  His  address  on  the  subject  of  education 
at  one  of  the  commencements  of  my  institute,  was  characterized  by  great 
ability,  earnestness,  and  eloquence.  More  fully  than  most  men  who  are 
not  professional  educators,  did  he  recognize,  as  necessary  to  the  student's 
highest  intellectual  achievements,  that  he  should  attain  and  perfect  him- 
self in  that  trait  of  character  which  Dr.  Arnold  calls  '  moral  thoughtful- 
ness,'  or  '  the  inquiring  love  of  truth,  going  along  with  the  divine  love 
of  goodness.'  But  Dr.  Kirk's  chief  title  to  nobility  lies  in  the  greatness 
of  his  heart,  in  the  breadth  and  genuineness  of  his  sympathies,  and  in 
his  consecration  to  the  service  of  his  Divine  Master. 

"  His  capacity  and  disposition  to  bear  the  burdens  of  others  —  burdens 
of  sin,  sorrow,  and  suffering — were  almost  unlimited.  All  classes  of  per- 
sons were  attracted  to  him,  and  felt  themselves  in  the  presence  of  a  true 
friend  as  well  as  a  wise  counselor.  More  than  any  man  I  have  ever 
Known,  he  impressed  me  as  one  thoroughly  imbued  with  the  spirit  of  his 
25 


386  LIFE   OF   EDWARD   NORRIS   KIRK. 

Saviour,  and  as  living  in  the  most  intimate  communion  with  Him;  and  I 
am  sure  that  in  the  Christ  of  God,  and  in  Him  alone,  he  had  found  the 
secret  place  of  the  Most  High,  where  he  constantly  abode,  and  where 
he  still  abides,  beholding  with  unclouded  eyes,  the  Father's  glory  as  it 
radiates  from  the  face  of  the  Son." 

Recognizing  the  necessity  of  continuous  hard  study  to 
an  active  mind,  he  kept  up  during  all  his  ministry  the 
study  of  Latin,  Greek,  and  Hebrew,  besides  being  a  pro- 
ficient in  several  modern  languages.  The  following  letter 
explains  one  of  the  secrets  of  his  ever  brightness  of  thought. 
Becoming  interested  in  the  new  method  peculiar  to  the 
writer  of  this  letter,  he  commenced  of  his  own  accord,  a 
review  of  the  classical  languages,  in  order  to  test  the  method. 

"  Boston,  September  9,  1876. 
"  Dear  Sir,  — I  first  met  Dr.  Kirk,  at  Stowe,  Vermont,  in  the  sum- 
mer of  1864.  He  had  come  there  with  Deacon  Pinkerton  to  visit  Mount 
Mansfield.  One  Sabbath  afternoon  he  preached  in  the  village,  and  as 
he  came  out  of  church,  I  ventured  to  introduce  myself  to  him,  thinking 
that  he  might  assist  me  in  the  work  in  which  I  was  about  to  engage  in 
Boston.  He  manifested  an  interest  in  what  I  said  that  quite  surprised 
me.  Said  he,  '  I  was  going  home  to-morrow,  but  I  will  stop  another  day 
to  talk  with  you  about  this.'  The  next  day  he  called  at  my  house,  and 
we  spent  three  hours  in  conversation  about  teaching  and  studying  Latin 
and  Greek.  He  told  me  to  call  on  him  in  Boston  and  he  would  review 
his  studies  in  these  languages  with  me.  He  began  the  writing  of  Latin 
and  Greek  as  the  best  method  of  refreshing  his  mind  in  the  grammars  of 
the  languages.  We  first  took  Richards's  Latin  Lessons,  and  he  wrote 
all  the  exercises  in  translation  of  English  into  Latin,  making  but  few 
mistakes,  and  those  in  the  more  unusual  constructions  in  the  use  of  the 
subjunctive  and  infinitive  moods.  He  then  took  Professor  Crosby's 
Greek  Lessons  in  the  same  way,  and  I  have  several  specimens  of  his 
writing  Greek  which  are  remarkably  accurate.  He  then  proposed  read- 
ing Horace,  and  we  went  over  nearly  all  of  the  Odes  and  Satires  and 
several  of  the  Epistles.  He  was  greatly  interested  in  the  scanning  of 
the  Odes  in  their  varied  metres;  and  would  frequently  stop  and  make  a 
thorough  analysis  of  a  line  into  its  feet  with  his  pen.  As  his  sight  grew 
more  and  more  imperfect,  so  that  reading  and  writing  on  paper  were 
painful,  he  had  a  blackboard  placed  on  an  easel  in  his  study,  and  on 
this,  with  his  crayon,  he  would  write  whole  paragraphs  from  Horace  or 
Cicero,  and  then  study  upon  them  until  he  could  repeat  the  Latin  and 
give  a  good  translation  of  it.     Finally,  when  he  could  no  longer  do  this 


PERSONAL   CHARACTERISTICS.  387 

in  consequence  of  almost  total  blindness,  he  expressed  a  desire  that  I 
would  spend  two  or  three  evenings,  in  a  week  with  him,  in  giving  him 
slowly  lines  from  Homer.  We  took  the  Odyssey,  and  by  my  rehearsing 
it  to  liini,  he  committed  to  memory  and  could  easily  repeat  a  large  por- 
tion of  the  first  book  in  the  Greek. 

"  The  last  interview  I  ever  had  with  him  was  in  visiting  a  class  in 
Latin  at  the  Girls'  High  School.  This  was  only  about  a  week  before  his 
death.  He  was  in  good  spirits,  and  after  the  Latin  lesson  Dr.  Eliot  took 
his  arm  and  conducted  him  into  the  various  apartments  in  the  building, 
and  in  each  of  them  he  had  some  word  to  say  which  showed  his  appre- 
ciation of  what  was  being  taught.  He  asked  the  teacher  of  chemistry 
whether  she  adopted  the  '  atomic  theory  '  in  her  teaching,  to  which 
she  replied  in  the  affirmative.  As  we  were  returning  home,  he  remarked 
that  he  wanted  to  review  some  of  the  points  that  were  taught  in  the 
Latin  class,  and  then  visit  the  class  again.  But  before  we  had  accom- 
plished this  purpose,  news  came  to  me  of  bis  death. 

"  I  have  given  here  in  few  words  an  outline  sketch  of  exercises  in 
which  he  never  grew  weary,  and  for  which  he  showed  the  keenest  relish. 
Whatever  he  might  be  doing  when  [  entered  bis  study,  he  would  lay  all 
aside,  and  take  down  some  book,  in  Greek  or  Latin,  and  spend  an  hour 
or  more  in  hard  work  over  it.  If  he  had  a  call  to  be  absent  from  home 
at  any  time,  and  he  knew  that  I  was  coming  for  one  of  those  exercises, 
he  would  write  out  the  lesson  and  leave  it  in  a  conspicuous  place  on  his 
desk. 

"  Others  knew  Dr.  Kirk  far  better  than  I  did  in  the  varied  ministerial 
and  other  relations  in  which  he  was  called  to  act.  Testimonials  enough 
will  come  to  you,  and  you  knew  him  sufficiently  well  personally  in  those 
relations,  to  render  further  words  from  me  needless.  Hoping  that  what 
I  have  written  will  tend  to  render  one  feature  of  his  life  more  vividly 
known  and  remembered,  I  am  most  truly  yours, 

"R.  L.  Perkins." 

His  proficiency  in  Hebrew  was  remarkable  ;  and  his  love 
for  the  old  language  grew  with  his  years.  After  his  recov- 
ery from  his  blindness,  one  of  the  first  books  which  he  took 
up  for  recreation  was  the  Hebrew  Bible.  As  a  student,  few 
men  in  the  active  ministry  have  equaled  him. 

He  carried  out  in  practice  the  motto  of  the  Christian 
college,  making  every  study  redound  to  the  honor  of  Christ 
and  the  church,  —  Christ  above  and  over  all  as  the  great 
power  in  perfecting  the  race. 

"  Now  Paul  knew  this  fact,    that  the  gospel  is   the   instrument  by 


388  LIFE   OF  EDWARD   NORRIS   KIRK. 

which  the  Spirit  of  God  contends  with,  and  overcomes,  all  the  enemies  of 
Christ.  And  he  felt  about  it  as  Robert  Fulton  felt  when  he  put  the  first 
steamboat  on  the  North  River.  Fulton  knew  that  God's  power  would 
be  put  forth  to  turn  his  wheels  when  steam  should  be  placed  in  certain 
relations  to  them.  Men  looked  sage  as  they  surveyed  the  mass  of  dead 
wood  that  this  enthusiast  was  going  to  set  against  wind  and  tide.  Some 
laughed,  some  argued,  and  some  pitied.  But  Fulton  said,  I  am  not 
ashamed  of  steam  :  it  is  the  power  of  God ;  and  if  man  will  only  use  it  as 
God  has  appointed,  it  will  prove  a  mighty  instrument  of  good.  He  had 
proved  it.  So  Paul  felt  about  the  gospel.  Roman  wits,  Roman  cap- 
tains, Roman  courtiers,  and  Roman  priests  may  despise  it ;  but  '  I  am 
not  ashamed  '  of  it,  '  for  it  is  the  power  of  God  unto  salvation.'  " 

We  close  this  chapter  with  the  statement  of  his  intimate 
friend,  Professor  Arnold  Guyot :  — 

"  Princeton,  New  Jersey,  December  2, 1876. 

"  Though  it  was  my  privilege,  for  more  than  a  quarter  of  a  century,  to 
enjoy  all  the  advantages  of  a  most  intimate  friendship  with  Dr.  Kirk,  our 
correspondence,  owing  to  our  busy  life,  was  very  limited,  and  consisted 
mostly  of  short  French  letters  relating  to  private  matters  which  would 
hardly  be  interesting  to  the  public  at  large.  Instead  of  sending  these 
hasty  notes,  allow  me  to  tell  in  a  few  words,  how  our  friendship  was 
formed  and  steadily  kept  up ;  for  these  personal  experiences  will  show 
better  than  any  occasional  letter,  some  of  the  most  prominent  and  de- 
lightful traits  of  his  character. 

"In  the  autumn  of  1848,  when  I  first  landed  in  New  York,  on  the  ur- 
gent invitation  of  my  old  friend  and  colleague  Agassiz,  with  the  view  of 
spending  at  least  a  year  of  exploration  in  this  country,  I  met  accidentally, 
providentially,  I  should  rather  say,  with  a  Swiss  clergyman,  also  just  ar- 
rived, who  had  a  letter  of  introduction  to  Dr.  Kirk.  Having  decided  to 
go  directly  to  the  West,  where  he  intended  to  settle,  and  hearing  that  I 
was  bound  for  Cambridge,  he  requested  me  to  take  charge  of  this  letter. 
I  did  so,  and  a  few  weeks  afterwards  stood  at  the  door  of  Dr.  Kirk  with 
no  other  idea  than  to  perform  my  errand.  He  received  me  in  his  private 
study.  After  a  short  conversation  in  French,  for  I  could  scarcely  speak 
a  word  of  English,  he  inquired  into  my  position  and  my  intentions  for 
the  future  with  that  characteristic  directness  which  in  him  indicated 
the  desire  to  be  immediately  useful.  His  frank  and  sympathetic  cordial- 
ity at  once  gained  my  confidence  and  drew  me  out  completely.  After 
having  conversed  for  some  time  on  this  subject,  and  seeing  how  vague  my 
ideas  still  were,  how  indefinite  my  prospects,  though  entirely  uninformed 
as  to  my  religious  convictions,  he  immediately  proposed  to  me  to  seek  for 
light  and  help  where  he  knew  they  would  be  found.     The  next  moment 


PERSONAL   CHARACTERISTICS.  389 

we  were  both  kneeling  before  the  throne  of  grace.  He  poured  out  his 
heart  in  a  fervent  prayer  which  touched  my  own  to  the  quick,  and  we 
arose  feeling  like  brothers.  A  common  faith  and  mutual  trust  and  sym- 
pathy had  bound  togetber,  by  ties  never  to  be  broken,  two  souls  which 
an  hour  before  were  strangers  to  each  other. 

"  From  that  moment  to  the  time  of  his  removal  to  his  heavenly  home, 
this  dear  friend  never  ceased  to  watch  over  my  steps  with  the  warmest 
interest.  Not  one  was  taken  without  its  wisdom  being  first  discussed 
and  prayed  over  with  him,  and  I  never  regretted  having  trusted  his 
judgment.  When  in  an  hour  of  more  than  usual  perplexity  as  to  the 
right  course  to  pursue,  I  still  see  him  bowing  down  his  head,  holding  it 
in  his  hands,  and  after  a  moment  of  silent  prayer,  raising  it  again  to  ex- 
press in  a  serene,  but  decided  manner,  the  conclusion  to  which  he  had 
arrived  under  divine  influence. 

"  His  nation  he  understood  thoroughly,  for  he  was  in  strong  sympathy 
with  all  classes  of  his  people;  from  the  humblest  workman  to  the  most 
cultivated  and  highest  in  social  position  he  knew  them  all,  was  in  con- 
stant relation  with  all  and  embraced  all  in  his  Christian  solicitude. 
Himself  an  embodiment  of  the  noble  qualities  which  constitute  the  true 
American  and  make  him  everywhere  a  leader  in  the  path  of  progress,  he 
gave  me,  by  word  and  deed,  a  deeper  and  truer  insight  than  I  could 
gain  from  any  other  source,  into  the  nature  of  this  people  among  whom 
my  lot  was  providentially  cast,  and  whom  it  is  so  difficult  for  one  foreign 
born  rightly  to  understand. 

"  The  greatest  number  of  our  occasional  interviews,  however,  were  en- 
tirely occupied  with  discussions  ranging  over  the  widest  domain.  The 
whole  realm  of  nature,  geology  and  the  Bible,  the  wonders  of  natural 
and  physical  science,  man  and  his  laws,  mankind's  history,  philosophy, 
and  theology,  all  had  their  turn,  and  the  connection  of  all  these  branches 
in  a  great  tree  of  knowledge  was  the  ever-recurring  final  theme  of  our 
conversations.  His  thirst  for  knowledge  was  truly  wonderful.  He  never 
tired  of  bearing  of  the  beauties  of  this  finite  world  and  its  marvelous 
adaptations,  in  which  he  recognized  God's  goodness  and  divine  intelli- 
gence. His  candid,  unprejudiced  mind  was  open  to  every  truth;  but  to 
obtain  it  was  not  to  him  a  mere  intellectual  luxury.  Having  once  grasped 
it,  his  first  impulse  was  to  turn  it  to  the  advantage  of  his  ministry. 
With  his  clear  and  methodical  intellect  he  put  it  into  a  tangible  shape, 
making  it  accessible  to  all,  and  showing,  with  a  warmth  of  conviction 
well  calculated  to  gain  that  of  his  hearers,  its  intimate  relation  with 
some  great  moral,  or  gospel  truth. 

"  As  to  the  knowledge  of  the  world  infinite,  inaccessible  to  our  phys- 
ical senses,  metaphysical  formulas  could  not  satisfy  him.  For  one  who 
has  apprehended  and  tasted  by  faith  the  realities  of  the  supernatural 
world,  there  is  no  longer  room  for  such  empty  forms.  God  in  Christ  and 
the  Spirit  is  the  fullness  thereof. 


390  LITE   OF  EDWARD   NORMS   KIRK. 

"  These  qualities  of  mind  and  heart,  seldom  united  in  such  a  degree, 
that  profound  sympathy  for  man  in  all  conditions,  in  joys  and  sorrows 
and  in  moral  suffering,  but  above  all  that  love  of  souls  and  an  ardent  de- 
sire to  lead  tbem  to  Christ  and  secure  their  salvation,  these  were  the  se- 
cret of  tbe  power  wbich  made  Dr.  Kirk  the  popular  revivalist  and.  to 
the  end  of  his  days,  the  blessed  and  beloved  pastor  of  old  and  young. 
It  was  Christ's  Spirit  in  him,  the  only  power  which  can  change  man's 
heart,  regenerate  his  nature  and  restore  him  to  purity  without  which  he 
cannot  enter  the  kingdom  of  heaven. 

"  The  last  time  I  had  the  happiness  of  seeing  him  was  on  the  occasion 
of  the  funeral  of  Agassiz,  when  I  spent  a  night  in  his  family.  Soon  after 
I  entered  his  house  he  returned  from  a  church  festival,  led  by  a  friend,  for 
he  was  nearly  blind.  The  sight  of  his  serene,  contented  face,  which  was 
in  strong  contrast  with  his  apparent  infirmity,  filled  me  Avith  a  mingled 
feeling  of  grief  and  pleasure.  During  the  evening  he  began,  as  of  old, 
one  of  our  long  conversations  on  some  of  our  favorite  topics,  which  he 
wanted  to  present  to  the  young  men  of  his  church.  His  mind,  though 
somewhat  slower,  was  just  as  eager,  his  heart  just  as  warm.  When 
slowly  pacing  his  parlor  with  his  arm  in  mine,  I  could  not  help  noticing, 
however,  that  his  step  was  unsteady,  his  eye  dim,  his  hearing  dull.  The 
physical  man,  sown  in  weakness  for  temporary  purposes,  was  passing 
away;  the  man  of  faith  and  love,  the  spiritual  man  made  for  eternity,  was 
full  of  life,  of  joy,  and  of  hope.  That  hope  was  not  deceived.  A  few 
months  after,  he  fell  asleep  in  the  arms  of  his  beloved  Jesus. 

"  These  are  some  of  my  experiences  with  this  dear  and  faithful  friend. 
To  have  known  and  loved  him  is  a  blessing  for  which  I  shall  forever 
thank  God.  A.  Guyot." 


CHAPTER  XVII. 

LATER  YEARS   AND   DEATH. 
1861-1874. 

There  is  a  pathos  in  the  long  and  fruitless  search  of  the 
Spanish  navigator,  Juan  Ponce  de  Leonx  for  the  fountain 
whose  waters  were  to  impart  perpetual  youth.  To  an  active 
mind  there  is  something  repellent  in  the  infirmities  of  old 
age,  and  Dr.  Kirk  shared  the  common  feeling  of  aversion  at 
their  approach.  But  this  was  not  the  feeling  manifesting 
itself  in  the  act  of  coloring  the  hair  which  God  whitens  in 
glory  ;  nor  in  the  vain  attempt  to  adorn  the  body  with  the 
fashions  of  youth. 

Upon  one  occasion  he  was  called  "  our  venerable  friend," 
when  he  arose  and  said,  "  I  may  be  venerable  in  appearance, 
but  am  not  so  in  my  feelings."  His  conviction  was  firm  that 
men  must  not  grow  old.  He  believed  that,  in  every  one, 
youth  can  be  renewed  like  the  eagle's.  He  looked  upon  man 
as  more  than  mere  flesh.  "  Whoever  lives  in  the  pleasures  of 
the  body  must  equally  live  in  its  pains.  It  is  the  prerogative 
of  the  spirit  to  live  very  much  above  both  ;  but  it  must  be 
of  both,  or  neither.  The  man  who  considers  his  black  locks 
and  magnificent  beard,  his  round  cheeks  and  vigorous  limbs, 
his  firm  step,  his  physical  vivacity,  his  keen  relish  of  motion 
and  the  pleasures  of  life  as  his  glory,  the  better  part  of  him- 
self, shall,  when  these  wither,  wither  with  them  ;  he  must 
rust  and  rot  into  an  ignoble  grave.     Dust  he  chooses  to  be, 

and  to  his  kindred  dust  he  returns The  exclamation 

is  sometimes  made,  in  contemplating  a  cheerful  group  of 
young  persons,  '  What  a  pity  they  are  to  grow  old ! '     God's 


392  LITE   OF  EDWARD   NORRIS   KIRK. 

wisdom  does  not  so  speak.     Our  Creator   never  uttered  a 

word  to  make  us  discontented  with  anything  but  sin 

What  provision  then  has  our  bounteous  Creator  made  in  his 
word  and  providence  for  renewing  our  youth  ;  or,  what  rules 
may  be  laid  down  for  this  end  ?  We  laugh  at  the  laborious 
men  who  sought  for  the  philosopher's  stone  that  would  turn 
to  gold  any  substance  it  might  touch.  But  there  was,  after 
all,  a  deep  wisdom  right  in  the  neighborhood  of  that  folly. 
There  is  such  a  thing  as  turning  pebbles  into  gold,  sighs  into 
songs,  tears  into  rainbows,  old  age  into  youth.  There  is  an 
old  elixir  for  securing  perpetual  youth,  and  our  task  is  to 
show  how  it  is  to  be  made  and  taken. 

"  This  is,  then,  the  first  step  toward  renewing  your 
growth  perpetually.  Make  more  of  your  immortal  nature, 
and  less  of  the  mortal.  Regard  the  body  as  a  kind  of  vehicle, 
carrying  the  spirit  through  a  country  where  the  roads  are 
sometimes  very  rough,  or  very  muddy.  Regard  the  body  as 
a  hotel  in  which  you  pass  a  night,  but  on  which  you  do  not 
concentrate  your  affections.  The  spirit  is  immortal,  and  its 
birthright  is  immortal  youth  ;  having,  at  the  same  time,  the 
advantage  of  exchanging  the  inexperience  and  immaturity  of 
childhood  for  the  ripeness  and  wisdom  of  age.  Paul  says, 
'  I  keep  my  body  under.'  If  you  magnify  the  importance 
of  its  comforts  or  its  pains,  you  make  it  master. 

"  How  strangely  it  would  sound  in  heaven  to  hear  some 
one  inquire  of  Gabriel,  '  How  old  are  you  ? '  —  inquire 
whether  he  had  begun  to  grow  infirm  !  How  strange,  a 
million  ages  hence,  to  ask  Paul  or  Isaiah  whether  they  are 
one  or  two  million  years  old ! 

"  Put  your  life  in  the  spirit,  and  not  in  the  body,  and  you 
will  find  it  as  young  and  fresh  a  century  hence  as  it  is  to- 
day ;  you  may  become  sick,  and  blind,  and  deaf,  and  lame, 
and  toothless,  but  you  will  never  grow  old  as  men  generally 
understand  that  term. 

"  There  is  brightness  in  youth ;  but  there  is  serenity  in 
the  later  period  of  life.  There  is  clear  vision  at  first ;  but 
there  is  a  brighter  mental  vision  when  the  bodily  organs  fail. 


LATER  YEARS  AND  DEATH.  393 

There  is  vigor  in  the  youthful  step  ;  but  there  is  a  grander 
vigor  in  a  well-trained  will.  There  is  a  keen  relish  of  life  in 
youth;  but  there  is  a  more  tranquil  enjoyment  of  a  more 
spiritual  kind  as  a  Christian  advances.  Mirthfulness  is  not 
as  valuable  as  cheerfulness.  When  the  ear  grows  deaf,  the 
well- trained  spirit  is  open  to  celestial  converse  and  music." 

The  rules  for  such  a  youth  he  laid  down  as  follows : 
"Count  your  spirit  as  constitutionally  yourself.  Be  thor- 
oughly godly.  Be  thoroughly  a  philanthropist.  Share  the 
joys  of  others.  Share  the  sorrows  of  others.  Love  chil- 
dren."    On  the  last  point,  he  enlarged  as  follows  :  — 

"  We  have  heard  of  taking  blood  from  the  veins  of  a  young  person, 
and  injecting  it  into  the  veins  of  an  invalid. 

"  There  are  two  ways  of  doing  it,  —  the  one  is  purely  mechanical,  the 
other  is  spiritual.  By  entei-ing  into  full  sympathy  with  the  spirit  of  a 
child,  one  feels  that  young  blood  has  entered  his  veins. 

"  When  children  are  innocently  at  play,  enjoy  their  mirth,  checking 
it  only  when  it  annoys  the  unsyinpathizing,  or  is  rude  and  boisterous. 
Take  pleasure  in  the  trifles  that  amuse  them,  for  their  sakes,  and  because 
they  afford  them  pleasure.  You  will  thus  catch  the  contagion  of  their 
youthful  feelings.  Of  course  I  speak  to  those  who  have  not  tried  the 
experiment.  Others  do  not  need  the  advice.  I  once  lived  opposite  a 
public  school.  After  removing  from  that  residence,  a  friend  congratu- 
lated me  on  the  deliverance  from  the  noise  of  the  children,  which  must 
be  annoying,  he  remarked,  to  a  student.  My  reply  was,  No;  that  is  my 
loss.  To  observe  those  children  going  alone  or  in  groups  to  school  was  a 
more  pleasing  occupation  than  to  contemplate  the  most  beautiful  scene  in 
Nature.  Watching  them,  I  seemed  to  blend  all  the  maturer  joy  of  man- 
hood with  the  buoyancy  of  childhood. 

"  And  when  those  little  prisoners  burst  at  midday  from  their  books, 
and  their  silence,  and  inaction,  with  a  shout,  a  scream,  a  laugh,  a  race, 
my  whole  soul  laughed,  and  screamed,  and  shouted  with  them.  For  the 
time  I  was  as  young  as  they  ;  and  it  took  me  some  time  to  recover  from 
the  illusion.     But  when  I  did,  I  had  renewed  my  youth. 

"  Win  the  love  of  children.  A  little  boy  once  stood  by  the  side  of  his 
mother  while  she  was  discoursing  of  heaven  to  her  own  delight.  But  on 
directing  her  attention  to  Johnny,  he  was  looking  very  gloomily  on  the 
carpet. 

"  •  Why,  Johnny,  do  you  not  want  to  go  to  heaven  ?  ' 

"  'No,  ma'am.' 

u  i  Why  not,  my  boy?  '  exclaimed  the  disappointed  mother. 


396  LIFE   OF  EDWARD  NORRIS   KIRK. 

prostrated  by  severe  sickness  he  knew  no  rest.  He  never 
laid  aside  the  instruments  of  his  labors.  Death  found  him 
hard  at  work.  This  portion  of  our  history  is  therefore  no 
record  of  decay,  but  rather  of  an  undiminished  zeal  in  the 
Master's  service. 

His  doctrine  as  to  old  age  was  practically  true,  exempli- 
fied in  a  serenity  of  life  more  and  more  beautiful  as  the 
years  passed  on.  The  first  serious  warning  of  physical  pros- 
tration is  recorded  in  the  following  memoranda  :  — 

"  It  is  easy  to  object  to  private  diaries,  as  magnifying  unduly  the  ex- 
perience of  an  individual.  There  is  a  flippant  style  of  objecting  to  me- 
moirs which  would  be  seen  in  its  true  light  if  it  were  turned  against  the 
biographies  and  especially  the  autobiographies  of  the  Scripture.  I  am 
now  writing  under  this  date  on  the  third  day  of  March  (1861),  because 
on  the  twenty-second  of  February  I  began  to  succumb  to  a  combination 
of  physical  difficulties,  the  common  seat  and  fountain  of  which  my  physi- 
cian hardly  describes.  The  confinement  to  my  room  really  began  on 
Tuesday,  the  nineteenth.  The  following  Friday  I  found  I  must  relin- 
quish two  favorite  schemes:  one  of  going  to  Saxonville,  to  conduct  the 
services  in  an  incipient  revival ;  the  other,  my  annual  visit  to  Mount 
Holyoke  Seminary. 

"  All  is  mercy  in  my  disappointments  and  deprivations.  In  my  con- 
finement I  have  been  permitted  to  see  some  of  my  dear  friends.  Among 
other  interesting  visits  are  the  following:  Mrs.  W.  brought  her  little 
daughter,  twelve  years  old,  whom  she  regards  as  manifesting  true  faith 
in  her  Saviour.  I  was  gratified  with  the  interview.  Another  was  a 
young  clergyman,  in  a  desponding  mood.  He  has  since  written  me  a 
letter  which  shows  that  the  Lord  has  not  silenced  me,  nor  taken  his 
blessing  from  my  labors  by  shutting  me  up  here.  Another  was  a  mother 
with  her  son,  whom  she  thought  I  might  help  her  to  lead  into  the  right 
way.  Another  was  a  member  of  a  neighboring  church,  in  despair.  How 
much  the  Lord  may  have  enabled  me  to  do  for  her,  He  has  not  permitted 
me  to  hear. 

"  The  use  I  am  trying  to  make  of  my  condition  is,  —  to  review  my  life 
more  seriously;  to  rejoice  more  in  affliction;  to  get  more  of  the  barriers 
between  Christ  and  my  heart  out  of  the  way;  to  pray  more  for  my 
church,  as  I  cannot  labor  for  them." 

At  the  request  of  his  physician,  Dr.  Kirk  commenced  a 
journey  South,  for  the  recovery  of  his  health.  The  painful 
meditations  attendant  upon  his  "  silent  Sabbaths "  were 
lightened  by  this  opportunity  for  recreation  and  preparation 


LATEE   YEARS   AND   DEATH.  397 

for  greater  usefulness  in  the  trying  years  to  come.  This 
journey,  mentioned  in  a  previous  chapter,  was  not  of  suffi- 
cient length  and  quiet  to  restore  the  wasted  strength. 

"Friday,  April  5th. — My  physician  banishes  me  again.  God's  will 
be  done!     Good  Shepherd,  feed  thou  the  flock! 

"  Saturday,  April  6th  (to  his  sister,  Mrs.  Center).  —  I  can  see  that  my 
afflictions  are  directed  by  paternal  love.  I  have  been  disproportionately 
active,  without  sufficient  deep  meditation.  We  become  superficial  by 
such  a  process.     Truths  of  the  greatest  moment,  the  most  exalting  and 

refining,  thus  fail  to  affect  us You  have,  I  presume,  heard 

the  particulars  of  my  prostration.    I  am  now  gaining  an  appetite.    To-day 

I  was  to  have  sailed  for  Charleston.     The  storm  delays  us 

We  intend  to  return  about  the  end  of  this  month.  I  hope  by  that  time 
to  be  able  to  resume  my  pastoral  work,  which  I  never  resigned  with 
more  reluctance  than  at  this  time.  But  my  Father  is  wiser  than  I  am. 
The  doctor  wished  to  send  me  to  Europe.  But  I  was  not  ready  to  go  so 
far  and  be  absent  so  long." 

"July  4,  1861. — This  morning  I  met  Dr.  Lane.  He  gave  me  his 
views  fully  in  regard  to  my  health,  and  urged  me  to  resign  my  pastoral 
office  without  delay.  It  was  a  solemn  moment.  Did  the  Lord  speak 
through  him?  I  mentioned  it  to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Tyler  and  my  sisters. 
Others  ridicule  the  idea." 

"September,  1861.  —  I  am  in  better  health  than  usual,  and  have  re- 
sumed my  labors  very  hopefully. 

"  I  am  happy  to  hear  that  the  children  are  able  to  resume  their  studies. 
Yet  I  would  care  more  for  confirming  their  physical  constitutions  now 
than  for  any  amount  of  acquisition  they  may  make  at  school.  Do  not 
suffer  little  Eddy  to  grow  up  with  a  disordered  stomach  or  a  sluggish  cir- 
culation, if  any  pains  or  expense  would  secure  to  him  robust  health  and 
cheerfulness.  I  regard  the  expanded  chest  as  one  of  the  most  important 
physical  attainments.  Deep  breathing  of  pure  air  is  essential  to  a 
healthful  condition  of  the  animal  frame." 

It  was  this  beginning  of  physical  prostration  which  led 
him  to  more  frequent  schemes  for  rest,  —  nearly  all  of 
which,  however,  were  carried  out  in  excursions  where  he 
might  receive  and  accomplish  some  good. 

The  following  letters  exhibit  a  true  picture  of  the  "  rest " 
which  he  took  when  away  from  home  :  — 

"Lockport,  August  4,  1862. 
"My  dear  Friend,  —  I  had  intended  to  write  to  you  before  receiv- 
ing your  kind  letter  addressed  to  me  at  this  place.     By  various  deten- 


398  LIFE   OF  EDWARD   NORMS   KIRK. 

tions,  I  did  rot  arrive  here  until  Friday  night.  It  was  difficult  breaking 
away  from  Saratoga.  The  place  is  becoming  attractive,  whereas  it  used 
to  be  repulsive  to  me.  I  found  there  many  persons  whom  it  was  a  privi- 
lege to  meet;  especially  one  that  recalled  my  boyish  days  with  a  vivid- 
ness and  fullness  that  surprised  and  delighted  me.  It  is  the  brother  of 
James  Alexander,  Col.  William  Alexander,  of  New  York.  He  has  a 
prodigious  memory,  and  has  the  whole  of  my  boy-life  written  in  the 
tablets  of  his  memory. 

"But  the  chief  attraction  to  me  there  was  the  blessing  that  seemed 
to  crown  my  efforts  to  do  good.  Arriving  on  Tuesday  afternoon,  I  con- 
ducted the  daily  prayer-meeting  on  Wednesday.  The  Spirit  of  God 
rested  on  us.  I  was  requested  to  remain  over  Thursday  and  hold  a 
meeting  in  the  afternoon.  I  consented;  and  at  the  most  inconvenient 
hour  of  four  o'clock  the  house  was  well  filled,  and  a  deep  impression 
seemed  to  be  produced. 

"  I  was  earnestly  requested  to  remain  over  Sunday.  But  I  had  deter- 
mined not  to  be  diverted  from  the  track  marked  out  by  me,  unless  indica- 
tions of  the  divine  will  to  the  contrary  should  be  very  clear.  I  saw  none 
such,  and  came  here  on  Friday. 

"  They  kept  me  quite  actively  at  work  yesterday,  preaching  twice, 
addressing  a  mission  school,  baptizing  Mary's  baby,  and  all  that  in  an 
atmosphere  much  above  freezing. 

"To-morrow  I  am  to  go  with  Mary's  children  and  Mrs.  G.  to  the 
Falls.  In  regard  to  your  suggestions,  I  would  now  say  it  appears  to  me 
desirable  to  continue  my  journey,  at  least  as  far  as  Hannibal.  There 
my  friends  will  give  me  full  information  of  the  condition  of  the  country 
and  the  safety  of  the  journey.  If  it  shall  then  appear  undesirable  for 
me  to  advance,  I  shall  retreat;  and  it  will  not  be  the  first  time  in  my  life 
that  my  valor  has  made  the  same  manifestation  of  itself.  You  pulled  a 
strong  cord  in  the  projects  you  laid  before  me.  We  could  pass  our  time 
most  satisfactorily  together  when  recreation  should  be  the  duty  to  be 
performed;  and  I  hope  that  my  present  pursuits  will  not  prevent  our 
realizing  that  satisfaction  yet  this  season. 

"  Yours  most  affectionately, 

"Edward  N.  Kirk." 

"Hannibal,  Mo.,  August  12,  1862. 
"  My  dear  Sisters,  —  I  was  disappointed  by  not  arriving  here  before 
Sunday.  I  suppose  you  have  heard  from  Lockport,  how  pleasantly  my 
time  was  passed  there  and  at  the  Falls,  with  Mary  and  Mrs.  G.  I  left 
the  Falls  on  Thursday;  met  a  Canadian  Englishman.  We  had  some 
pretty  smart  sayings  between  us  before  we  separated.  Among  mine  was 
this :  '  Come  on,  if  you  envy  our  growth,  and  look  only  at  the  almighty 
dollar;  come  on,  and  murder  our  people  in  the  interest  of  that  slavery 


LATER  YEARS  AND  DEATH.  399 

for  which  you  have  so  abused  us!  You  will  find  in  us  the  old  English 
pluck  you  so  much  admire;  and  when  the  Sepoys  and  the  Irish  secede, 
we  shall  copy  your  illustrious  example,  if  that  seems  to  be  best  at  the 
time.'  My  contempt  has  seldom  been  more  excited  than  in  view  of  the 
arrogant  assumption  of  a  right  to  intermeddle  in  our  affairs  for  their  sup- 
posed interest. 

"At  Detroit  I  met  three  more  Englishmen.  But  how  different  our 
intercourse!  One  of  them  is  son  of  Lord  Dacres,  one  of  the  most  historic 
families,  and  the  wealthiest,  of  England.  The  other  two  are  gentlemen's 
sons.  We  talked  matters  over  very  candidly  and  courteously.  Young 
Dacres  is  on  the  military  staff  of  the  governor  of  Canada.  He  said  his 
prejudices  had  been  greatly  diminished  by  the  little  he  had  already  seen 
of  the  Northern  jieople. 

"  At  Chicago  I  met  another  agreeable  companion,  Dr.  Morgan,  the 
rector  of  St.  Thomas's  Church,  New  York,  who,  I  think,  regards  him- 
self as  converted  under  my  ministry.  He  is  haughty  in  his  bearing,  but 
of  the  gentlest  and  kindest  spirit.  We  did  not  reach  Quincy  until  Sun- 
day morning  at  two  o'clock.  To-day  I  start  with  Rev.  Mr.  Sturtevant 
for  Council  Bluffs,  to  return  here  by  the  24th  inst.     God  bless  you. 

"  Your  affectionate  brother, 

"  Edward." 

"Sunday,  February  22,  1863. — Released  to-day  to  preach.  It  was 
blessed." 

"  Saturday,  July  IS,  1863.  — Doctor  shuts  me  up.  I  am  even  com- 
pelled to  vacate  my  pulpit  and  refuse  to  go  to  commencement  at  South 
Hadley." 

Such  are  the  occasional  records  extending  over  the  later 
years  of  his  life ;  yet,  in  nearly  every  instance,  when  the 
"Doctor  shut  him  up,"  he  managed  to  get  out  very  soon. 
Only  his  Master's  business  gave  him  comfort.  He  rested 
while  he  worked. 

Sleeplessness,  that  foe  of  health,  led  him  morning  after 
morning  to  his  study,  at  two  or  three  or  four  o'clock.  Many 
a  sermon  of  entrancing  eloquence  was  mostly  written  between 
the  early  hour  of  rising  and  daybreak.  Poor  medicine  this 
to  nerves  disordered  !  yet  better  far,  he  thought,  than  the 
sleepless  tossings  of  a  long  and  weary  night.  Prayer-meet- 
ings for  the  country,  gatherings  of  soldiers,  missionary  meet- 
ings, ordinations,  weddings,  and  funerals,  —  these,  with  the 
demands  of  a  large  parish,  drew  upon  the  strength  which 
had  already,  though  slowly,  begun  to  diminish. 


400  LIFE   OF  EDWARD   NORMS   KIRK. 

The  most  rigid  self-examination  in  regard  to  his  motives 
and  his  methods  of  labor  was  kept  up,  even  to  the  last.  He 
passed  the  so-called  ministerial  "  dead  line  of  fifty  years  " 
without  knowing  it ;  and  no  one  knew  when  he  passed  it. 
Men  never  thought  of  his  age  when  he  spoke  :  the  years  of 
the  speaker  never  add  to,  nor  take  away  from,  the  freshness 
of  the  living  truth.  Dr.  Kirk  recognized  the  fact  that  the 
mode  of  expression  in  religious  themes  must  agree  with  the 
present  methods  in  other  avenues  of  thought,  —  knowing 
well  that  the  truth  gains  nothing  by  being  presented  in  an 
old-fashioned  style.  He  always  presented  the  same  doc- 
trines, yet  had  "  the  art  of  putting  things  "  in  the  most  nat- 
ural manner.  He  preached  in  the  language  and  tones  with 
which  his  audiences  were  familiar  in  their  daily  life.  His 
sermons,  like  those  on  "  The  Prodigal  Son,"  "  Naaman," 
etc.,  which  never  lost  their  power,  were  the  same  truths  de- 
livered year  by  year  in  a  new  form.  He  knew  how  to  be 
young  even  in  his  methods.  In  the  sixty-fifth  year  of  his 
age  he  was  informally  invited  to  one  of  the  most  prominent 
churches  in  the  city  of  New  York.  Many  churches  know  no 
difference  between  a  young  man  and  an  old  man  who  keeps 
young.  He  knew  that  the  moment  a  minister  of  Christ 
(and  the  same  is  true  in  every  other  calling)  is  satisfied  with 
his  methods,  that  moment  men  become  dissatisfied  with  him. 
Instead  of  repeating  his  old  sermons  unchanged,  Dr.  Kirk 
severely  and  often  analyzed  his  own  productions,  trying  to 
discover  the  weak  points.  The  following  is  his  own  estimate 
of  himself,  deliberately  written  after  one  of  these  self-exam- 
inations. 

"  MY   PREACHING    IN    1862-3. 

"  Its  good  points  as  I  see  them. —  1.  Attractive.  Original;  cordial; 
scriptural ;  moving  the  deeper  sensibilities.  2.  Instructive.  Goes  to 
root  of  principles;  applies  them  to  life  and  consciousness;  shows  Christ 
and  way  to  heaven. 

"  My  dangers.  —  1.  Perfunctoriness.  I  love  business  for  its  own  sake. 
2.  Men's  favor  is  agreeable.     3.  Power  is  pleasant. 

"  My  duties.  —  1.  Supremely  to  desire  God's  glory.  2.  Next,  the  eternal 
good  of  the  people.     3.   Be   thankful  for  my  enjoyment  of  preaching.     4. 


LATER  YEARS  AND  DEATH.  401 

Earnestly  to  seek  my  subjects  and  views  of  them  in  prayer.  5.  Earnestly 
to  implore  blessing  on  my  hearers.  6.  Earnestly  to  folloiu  preaching  by  per- 
sonal applications  of  the  truth." 

The  following  letter  has  its  history.  The  trustees  of  his 
Alma  Mater  at  Princeton  were  at  this  time  in  search  of  one 
to  fill  the  president's  chair.  Informally  Dr.  Kirk  was  ap- 
proached, and  the  reasons  given  for  his  undertaking  the 
duties  of  the  office.  These  he  duly  weighed.  In  order  to  a 
more  ready  understanding  of  the  situation  he  was  invited  to 
deliver  a  lecture  before  the  students.  The  success  of  the 
effort  is  alluded  to  in  the  letter,  as  also  is  the  proposition  that 
he  should  assume  the  functions  of  the  presidency.  After 
due  deliberation  he  yielded  to  his  convictions  that  the  re- 
maining work  of  his  life  must  be  done  in  Boston.  The  com- 
pliment awakened  his  profoundest  feelings  of  gratitude.  In 
response  to  a  letter  from  his  friend  of  earlier  days,  Mrs. 
Sarah  Miller  Hageman,  of  Princeton,  he  thus  wrote :  — 

"Boston,  September  2,  1865. 
"Dear  Madam,  —  Your  note  and  the  kind  invitation  it  contains 
caused  me  much  delight,  and  has  given  me  new  occasion  to  say  — 
'  Father,  I  thank  thee!  '  particularly  because  that  last  visit  to  Princeton 
had  to  me  a  meaning  none  but  myself  could  interpret,  a  value  only  I  can 
estimate  ;  and  now  you  show  me  I  did  not  overestimate  it.  If  you  have 
any  interest  in  my  feelings,  I  will  tell  you  something  about  it.  In  Prince- 
ton I  commenced  a  godless  childhood.  But  the  grace  of  God  led  me 
back  there  to  pi'epare  myself  for  a  good  and  useful  life.  Then  came  a 
long  separation,  geographical,  ecclesiastical,  social.  Then  again  I  am 
led  back  there.  Whether  the  visit  would  be  sad  or  satisfactory,  I  was 
uncertain.  I  did  not  know  but  what  I  had  grown  into  some  mental  stat- 
ure that  would  prove  me  no  longer  of  their  kith.  I  was  not  sure  but 
that  the  committee  had  made  a  mistake  in  their  selection.  I  was  sure  of 
my  own  feelings,  whether  others  would  understand  them  or  not.  But 
there  was  to  me  something  of  an  experiment  in  the  visit.  I  went,  and 
found  it  one  continued  festival  to  my  heart.  To  have  my  humble  effort 
to  promote  the  interest  of  the  occasion  so  kindly  received,  to  have  such 
impressive  evidence  that  every  heart  welcomed  me,  to  find  my  views  of 
life  so  entirely  acceptable,  to  have  the  opportunity  of  saying  words  of 
paternal  counsel  to  those  dear  young  men,  — I  cannot  express  the  satis- 
faction I  find  in  all  this.  And  now  you  add  to  this  one  kind  word.  I 
thank  you  cordially.  As  to  the  visit,  if  you  mean  only  a  visit,  I  can 
26 


402  LIFE   OF  EDWAED  NORRIS  KIRK. 

speak  promptly,  that  I  hope  the  opportunity  may  arrive  for  this.  But 
the  other  part  of  your  invitation  is  a  graver  matter;  and  on  it  I  can 
only  say,  if  you  really  hope  I  could  promote  the  spiritual  good  of  the 
people  in  any  special  degree,  pray  for  me  that  the  Lord  will  show  us 
his  will  in  the  matter,  and  not  suffer  me  to  go  unless  He  intends  to  bless 
me  in  my  efforts. 

"  How  could  you  think  that  I  needed  to  be  reminded  who  Sarah 
Miller  was,  or  the  beautiful  Margaret  Miller,  or  even  Aunt  Betsey  Sar- 
geant,  or  my  venerable  teacher,  Dr.  Miller?  Princeton,  from  1812  to 
1826,  is  a  panorama  to  my  memory,  full  of  images  more  interesting  to  me 
than  when  they  moved  within  the  range  of  my  bodily  vision.  Tell  Mr. 
Hageman  how  much  I  was  gratified  to  find  him  and  yourself  in  a  prayer- 
meeting  for  the  salvation  of  our  outraged  country.  With  much  respect 
and  thankfulness,  Your  sincere  friend, 

"  Edward  N.  Kirk." 

On  the  second  Sabbath  in  January,  1867,  the  congrega- 
tion of  Mount  Vernon  Church  were  startled  by  the  illness  of 
their  honored  pastor  in  the  midst  of  his  discourse.  It  was 
then  that  many  learned  of  his  sufferings  often  experienced 
alone.  For  years  he  had  been  subject  to  a  spasmodic  affec- 
tion of  the  throat,  —  a  nervous  irritation  produced  by  exces- 
sive use  of  the  voice. 

The  sympathy  of  his  people  was  unbounded.  For  the 
first  time  they  became  really  aware  of  the  beginning  of  the 
end.  They  urged  him  to  take  a  protracted  rest.  They 
begged  him  to  refuse  all  extra  calls  upon  his  time.  They 
urged  a  journey,  —  gave  every  counsel  that  loving  hearts 
could  prompt.  But  to  him  there  was  no  place  like  home, — 
and  his  home  was  found  in  the  affections  of  his  people.  He 
seemed  a  father  tenderly  cared  for  by  the  children.  The 
gifts  of  love  —  flowers  daily  upon  his  desk,  delicacies  for  his 
table,  tokens  of  varied  expression  —  were  as  medicine  to  his 
soul. 

His  work  was  not  yet  done.  The  sun  was  clouded  only 
for  a  season,  and  he  was  soon  in  his  pulpit.  Mount  Vernon 
Church  was  itself  again.  Men  of  power  discoursed  in  other 
and  neighboring  pulpits  to  large  congregations  ;  and  yet 
every  Sabbath  the  spacious  church  was  filled.  Strangers 
sought  him  out.  The  old  and  the  young  were  alike  at- 
tracted to  him. 


LATER  YEARS  AND  DEATH.  403 

An  occasion  of  great  interest  presented  itself  June  2, 
1867,  upon  the  twenty-fifth  anniversary  of  Mount  Vernon 
Church.  The  reunion  of  old  parishioners,  the  tender  expres- 
sions of  respect  for  the  departed,  the  respect  and  love  so  del- 
icately shown  in  their  treatment  of  him,  was  a  crowning 
testimonial  to  his  faithfulness  and  their  appreciation  of  it. 
In  reply  to  a  committee  who  placed  in  his  home  rich  and 
artistic  gifts  of  their  affection,  he  thus  wrote  :  — 

"Parsonage,  June  3,  18G7. 

' '  Dear  Brethren,  —  Every  expression  of  your  kind  letter  to  me 
meets  a  response  in  my  heart.  Your  solid,  beautiful  gift  is  fully  appre- 
ciated by  me  as  an  ornament ;  immeasurably  more,  as  I  know  the  senti- 
ments it  expresses. 

"Ties  the  most  precious  and  enduring  bind  us  to  each  other.  Death 
may  sever  them  to  sense,  but  never  to  memory  and  affection. 

' '  I  trust  God  will  keep  me  where  He  has  placed  me  in  your  hearts, 
but  never  suffer  me  to  overstay  my  time  in  the  pastorate  of  our  dear 
church. 

"  Let  us  love  Jesus  and  each  other  more  and  more. 

"  Yours,  in  these  precious  bonds. 

"Edward  N.  Kirk." 

The  following  letter  from  Deacon  Palmer  to  the  chairman 
of  the  committee  of  arrangements  is  of  more  than  local  inter- 
est touching  this  occasion :  — 

"Paris,  France,  May  14,  1867. 

"My  dear  Sir, — I  remember  the  intention  of  the  Mount  Vernon 
Church  and  Society  to  observe  in  some  appropriate  manner  the  twenty- 
fifth  anniversary  of  its  formation  and  the  settlement  of  its  pastor.  If  at 
home,  I  might  be  expected  to  take  a  part  in  the  celebration.  The  desire 
to  do  so  is  not  diminished  by  the  distance  that  separates  us;  and,  there- 
fore, I  will  take  the  liberty  of  sending  you,  as  chairman  of  the  committee 
of  arrangements,  a  few  of  the  many  recollections  and  reflections  which 
the  occasion  may  suggest. 

' '  I  retain  a  very  distinct  memory  of  the  state  of  evangelical  religion  in 
Boston  during  the  years  which  immediately  preceded  the  formation  of 
the  Mount  Vernon  Church  and  the  settlement  of  its  pastor.  The  con- 
troversy between  the  Orthodox  and  the  Unitarian  branches  of  the  Con- 
gregational Church  had  passed  away  in  revivals  of  religion,  which  gave 
an  impetus  to  the  evangelical  cause,  increasing  the  number  of  our 
churches  and  adding  largely  to  their  membership.  This  growth  reached 
its   culminating  point   about   1836.     The  few   succeeding    years   were 


404  LIFE   OF  EDWARD   NORMS   KIRK. 

marked  by  controversies  among  theologians,  — disagreement  about  meas- 
ures for  building  up  the  church,  among  pastors,  —  and  the  consequent 
coldness  and  worldliness  of  professing  Christians.  Tbe  years  1839 
and  1840  were  anxious  ones  with  many  of  the  most  spiritual,  earnest, 
praying  members  of  our  churches,  —  most  of  whom  have  now  passed  to 
their  rest  and  their  reward.  Some  of  us  may  still  bear  witness  to  the 
solicitude  of  such  brethren  as  Hubbard,  Safford,  Proctor,  Noyes,  Kim- 
ball, Grosvenor,  Crockett,  Adams,  Scudder,  Armstrong,  and  others,  as 
they  discussed  and  prayed  over  the  declining  state  of  piety  in  the 
churches.  It  seemed  like  an  answer  to  these  prayers,  when  tbe  Rev. 
Mr.  Kirk,  warm  and  fresh  from  the  revivals  in  Baltimore  and  Philadel- 
phia, was  sent  to  Boston  on  a  mission  for  the  Foreign  Evangelical  So- 
ciety. While  advocating  faithfully  the  cause  in  wbich  he  was  employed, 
his  zeal  for  the  immediate  salvation  of  men  pushed  him  to  follow  out  the 
same  strain  of  preaching  -wbich  had  been  so  successful  in  other  cities. 
There  was  such  an  immediate  response  as  indicated  clearly  to  many 
hearts  that  the  Master  was  calling  his  people  to  a  higher  standard  of 
Christian  labor,  and  a  more  aggressive  warfare  on  the  part  of  his  church 
against  the  world. 

"  That  there  should  have  been  differences  of  opinion  amongst  good 
men  respecting  the  prudence  and  expediency  of  measui'es  for  promoting 
the  growth  of  piety  was  but  a  matter  of  course;  and  should  only  be  re- 
membered now  as  an  illustration  of  the  fallibility  of  all  human  judgment. 
The  success  which  has  followed  the  progressive  party  is  no  evidence  that 
the  brethren  who  adhered  to  more  conservative  counsels  were  not 
equally  sincere  and  conscientious.  But  let  it  never  be  forgotten  that  the 
Mount  Vernon  Church  was  organized  for  the  purpose  of  advancing  the 
cause  of  Christ  by  special  efforts  to  jiromote  revivals  of  religion,  by  the 
constant  and  persevering  use  of  the  lay  element  in  the  spiritual  care  of 
the  church,  and  by  an  aggressive  warfare  on  every  form  of  sin  which 
arrays  itself  against  the  power  of  the  gospel.  This  anniversary  should 
commemorate  the  faithfulness  of  our  covenant  God,  who  for  a  quarter  of 
a  century  has  given  such  success  to  the  truths  thus  proclaimed  by  the 
pastor,  and  such  prosperity  to  the  church,  while  it  has  adhered  in  good 
degree  to  its  primitive  design.  Let  those  who  now  constitute  this 
church,  and  those  who  may  come  after  us,  remember  that  its  founders 
aimed  at  'keeping  a  perpetual  fire  burning  upon  their  altar,'  and  that 
any  theories  of  the  Christian  life  which  permit  supineness  and  inactivity 
(where  there  is  strength  to  work)  are  inconsistent  with  the  views  of 
duty  which  were  current  here  twenty-five  years  ago. 

"  It  was  in  consequence  of  the  supposed  difference  of  views  on  the  ways 
of  working  to  advance  the  cause  of  truth,  between  this  and  many  of  our 
sister  churches,  that  this  church,  especially  in  the  earlier  years  of  its 
history,  was  left  to  the  exercise  of  its  right  of  independence  rather  more 


LATER  YEARS  AND  DEATH.  405 

than  is  usual  or  desirable  amongst  Congregational  churches.  It  seemed 
better  that  we  should  work  harmoniously  together  than  seek  for  union 
where  there  could  not  be  entire  cordiality.  It  is  hoped  that  the  day  is 
passed  when  we  need  fear  any  detriment  to  the  moral  power  of  our 
views,  if  we  are  but  true  to  them  ourselves,  by  the  most  free  fellowship 
with  all  our  sister  churches. 

' '  But  I  have  been  led  into  a  different  strain  of  writing  from  what  was 
intended  when  I  commenced  this  letter.  It  was  that  clear,  bright  morn- 
ing of  June  1,  1842, — the  early  gathering  of  the  little  band  which 
was  to  constitute  the  church;  the  meeting  of  the  ecclesiastical  council; 
its  memorable  discussion  of  our  articles  of  faith,  and  their  unanimous 
approval  without  the  alteration  of  a  sentence;  the  reception  of  the 
church  into  fellowship;  the  dinner  with  the  council;  the  installation  ser- 
vices in  the  afternoon ;  the  church  meeting  in  the  evening  for  praise  and 
thanksgiving  and  for  the  election  of  deacons.  It  was  of  these  scenes, 
all  occurring  on  that  first  day  of  June,  1842,  that  I  intended  to  have 
written.  But  these  will  be  remembered  and  spoken  of  by  others,  who 
will  attend  your  meeting,  and  whose  memories  may  be  better  than  mine. 

"  The  success  of  our  enterprise  has  a  lesson  for  those  who  are  seeking 
to  evangelize  our  large  cities.  Let  them  begin  with  the  prayer-meeting, 
and  draw  together  first  a  company  of  kindred  spirits,  around  some 
Christian  pastor  of  like  sympathies  and  aims.  Let  them  follow  him 
from  the  beginning,  in  their  organization  —  building  a  church  —  and 
arrangements  for  worship  and  for  work,  and  so  the  permanence  of  the 
pastoral  office  will  be  preserved.  The  method  of  commencing  such  an 
enterprise  with  a  money  subscription,  and  a  building  committee,  is  too 
apt  to  end  in  disagreement  about  a  pastor,  and  an  inefficient  working 
organization. 

"  May  I  not  say  that  our  success  has  a  lesson,  also,  for  those  who  are 
seeking  to  distinguish  themselves  amongst  the  servants  of  God?  Let 
them  not  seek  for  a  tablet  on  the  walls  of  the  sanctuary,  as  is  so  common 
in  older  countries.  The  memory  of  Safford  will  be  fresh  and  fragrant 
in  many  hearts  after  the  effigies  in  Westminster  Abbey  and  St.  Denis 
shall  have  crumbled  into  dust.  '  They  that  be  wise  shall  shine  as  the 
firmament,  and  they  that  turn  many  to  righteousness,  as  the  stars  for 
ever  and  ever.' 

"  Praying  God  to  bless  your  celebration,  and  with  much  love  for  the 
church  and  its  pastor,  I  remain,  with  Christian  affection, 

"  Yours  very  truly, 

"Julius  A.  Palmer." 

Calls  to  outside  efforts  Dr.  Kirk  could  not  refuse.  Prom- 
inent among  these  was  that  of  the  trustees  of  Andover  Theo- 
logical Seminary,  that  he  should  deliver  a  series  of  lectures 


406  LITE   OF  EDWARD   NORRIS   KIRK. 

upon  revivals  to  the  students.  Two  years  previously  he  had 
written  upon  the  same  theme  for  the  public  press,  and  now 
he  could  expand  the  thoughts  there  merely  suggested.  He 
accepted  the  trust,  and  in  1868  delivered  the  course.  We 
need  no  demonstration  as  to  his  power.  We  dwell  not  upon 
even  one  of  the  many  kind  expressions  made  by  professors 
and  students.  One  sentence  sums  up  the  whole,  —  "  Decem- 
ber 17.  Closed  my  course  of  lectures  on  revivals  to  the  stu- 
dents at  Andover.  God  helped  me."  This  consciousness  of 
the  divine  assistance  was  worth  more  than  all  human  com- 
mendation. 

"  1869,  January  8th.  —  Elected  chaplain  of  the  [Massachu- 
setts] Senate,  to  my  utter  amazement !  "  It  was  an  election 
in  which  the  office  sought  the  man  rather  than  the  man  the 
office.  His  election  was  not  because  no  others  were  willing 
to  serve,  since  several  ministers  of  different  denominations 
were  seeking  the  position.  This  very  self-seeking  on  the 
part  of  so  many  led  one  of  the  members,  now  a  judge  in  the 
Superior  Court  of  Massachusetts,  to  remark  that  in  order  to 
maintain  the  dignity  of  the  office  he  would  propose  the  elec- 
tion of  some  one  who  had  not  sought  the  place. 

Accordingly,  the  names  of  a  number  of  representative 
clergymen  were  mentioned,  and  among  them  that  of  Dr. 
Kirk.  A  lawyer,  a  Unitarian,  said  :  "  Dr.  Kirk  is  not  of  my 
denomination,  but  he  is  a  Christian  gentleman,  and  I  will 
vote  for  him."  He  was  chosen  by  a  very  full  and  cordial 
vote.  Special  requests  were  sent  him  by  various  members, 
urging  that,  notwithstanding  his  impaired  health,  in  view  of 
all  the  circumstances,  he  ought  to  accept  the  appointment. 
The  Rev.  Edmund  Dowse,  at  that  time  a  member  of  the 
senate,  thus  writes  of  the  chaplain  :  — 

"  Although  in  feeble  health,  Dr.  Kirk  was  very  regular  and  prompt 
in  the  performance  of  his  duties  during  the  whole  session.  His  manner 
was  always  such  as  to  dignify  his  office  and  honor  his  Master.  His 
prayers  were  manifestly  addresses  to  God  and  not  to  the  senate.  It 
had  been  charged  that  the  chaplains  took  occasion  in  their  service  to 
give  utterance  to  their  personal  and  party  views  upon  the  orders  of  the 


LATER  YEARS  AND  DEATH.  407 

day,  thus  making  political  speeches  to  the  members  instead  of  offering 
prayers  to  God.  This  was  not  true  of  Dr.  Kirk.  He  was  not  ignorant 
of,  nor  did  he  ignore,  the  business  before  the  senate;  but  he  addressed 
himself  to  God  alone,  earnestly  seeking  his  presence,  guidance,  and 
blessing.  He  was  very  concise  in  the  service,  but  never  so  much  so  as 
to  savor  of  undue  haste.  There  was  no  sameness  nor  monotony  in  his 
prayers.  The  language  each  day  was  varied,  and  so  much  so  that  no 
two  services  of  the  session  were  in  the  same  form.  There  was  one  pe- 
culiarity that  is  worthy  of  notice,  and  that  was  his  habit  of  quoting 
readily,  largely,  and  very  appropriately,  from  the  Scriptures,  and  par- 
ticularly from  the  Psalms.  His  intercourse  with  all  the  members  was 
characterized  by  his  usual  urbanity,  nice  scholarly  taste  and  attainments. 
His  devotional  services  indicated  a  thorough  knowledge  of  the  Scriptures 
and  a  reverential  familiarity  with  God  in  prayer.  ,  On  the  whole,  he  was 
a  model  chaplain." 

This  public  service  was  peculiarly  pleasant  in  that  it 
brought  him  into  a  yet  closer  relationship,  if  this  were  possi- 
ble, with  his  intimate  friend,  Mr.  Claflin,  at  that  time  in  the 
governor's  chair.  The  great  questions  touching  the  interests 
of  the  Commonwealth  laid  their  claims  naturally  upon  his 
attention.  The  same  enthusiasm  which  was  manifest  in  the 
time  of  war  was  just  as  unbounded  in  everything  touching 
the  welfare  of  the  people  in  the  equally  testing  time  of 
peace. 

At  one  of  the  windows  in  the  beautiful  home  at  Newton- 
ville,  whither  he  often  resorted,  the  chair  still  holds  its  place 
on  whose  arm  he  leaned,  while  at  the  coming  up  of  every 
question  touching  personal  duty,  whether  in  a  public  or  pri- 
vate form,  he  bowed  his  head  in  prayer  that  the  right  way 
might  be  discerned.  Thus  even  until  the  last,  whatever  in 
politics,  even  as  in  science,  philosophy,  and  religion,  inter- 
ested others,  likewise  interested  him. 

During  July,  1868,  he  made  this  record  in  his  diary :  — 

"I  am  yet  troubled  with  sleeplessness^  but  am  able  to  do  some  head- 
work.  I  have  a  rheumatic  affection  which  acts  on  the  left  hand  like 
incipient  paralysis." 

His  convictions  as  to  his  position  and  duty  were  thus  ex- 
pressed a  year  later  in  a  letter  to  a  friend  :  — 


408  LIFE   OF  EDWARD  NORMS   KIRK. 

"  The  dealings  of  my  Father  with  me  have  always  been  very  gracious. 
But  they  are  at  present  a  test  of  my  confidence  in  Him,  the  future  lies  so 
completely  beyond  my  control,  the  imagination  presents  so  many  possi- 
bilities. The  experience  of  our  church  last  spring,  the  experience  of 
Winter  Street  Church,  the  present  position  of  our  denomination  in  Bos- 
ton, all  turn  my  heart  wholly  to  the  Lord.  The  wisdom  and  power  of 
man  are  utterly  vain  except  as  humble  instruments  of  his  wisdom  and 
power." 

The  action  foreshadowed  in  every  line  of  this  letter  was 
soon  taken.  Anxiety  lest  he  should  "  overstay  his  time  in 
the  pastorate  of  their  dear  church,"  led  him,  in  the  sixty- 
eighth  year  of  his  age,  to  tender  the  following  communica- 
tion ;  an  act  whose  importance,  judging  by  his  love  and 
attachment,  few  can  appreciate  and  understand. 

"  To  the  Mount  Vernon  Church  and   Society: 

"  Dear  Brethren  and  Friends, — I  have  anxiously  awaited  the  test  of 
time  to  determine  the  will  of  God  concerning  my  future  course.  My 
own  experience  confirms  at  length  the  judgment  of  my  medical  friends, 
that,  in  justice  to  the  Lord  whom. I  serve,  to  the  people  so  dear  to  me,  to 
the  cause  I  have  supremely  at  heart,  I  can  no  longer  bear  the  responsi- 
bility of  acting  pastor  of  Mount  Vernon  Church. 

"  You  imperatively  need  a  leader  in  the  full  possession  of  all  his  powers, 
mental  and  bodily. 

"I  ask  not  a  dismission  from  the  pastoral  office,  but  from  its  cares, 
duties,  and  emoluments. 

"  Choose  then  a  man  of  God,  competent  to  take  the  entire  charge  of 
the  church.  Let  him  understand  that  I  shall  be,  in  fact,  his  assistant, 
and  ready  to  render  every  aid  in  my  power. 

"  I  do  not  ask  for  a  severance  of  the  tie  that  now  so  happily  unites  us, 
because  I  have  no  desire  to  form  any  other  connection.  Whatever  my 
future  relations  to  you  may  be,  my  heart  shall  ever  revert  with  thankful- 
ness to  God,  to  the  memories  of  the  past.  And  my  desire  and  prayer 
will  ever  be  for  your  prosperity  as  a  church,  for  the  presence  of  God  in 
your  dwellings,  and  for  your  eternal  salvation  through  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ. 

"  May  you  receive  a  baptism  of  the  Spirit  of  grace  and  supplication 
for  the  present  important  crisis  in  the  history  of  our  beloved  church. 

"And  may  grace,  mercy,  and  peace  be  with  you  evermore. 
' '  Your  affectionate  pastor, 

"Edward  N.  Kirk. 
"Nantasket,  September  1,  1869." 


LATER   YEARS   AND  DEATH.  409 

The  solemnity  of  the  step  and  the  spirit  in  which  it  was 
taken,  may  be  gathered  from  another  communication  of  the 
many  concerning  it. 

"  Only  let  me  assure  you,  dear  brethren,  of  these  things;  the  best 
interests  of  this  church  are  dearer  to  me  than  personal  considerations ; 
time  does  not  diminish,  but  strengthens  and  mellows  my  love  for  this 
people.  I  shall  never  stand,  I  trust,  one  hour  in  the  way  of  their  known 
wishes  for  a  change;  my  preference  is,  to  die  in  this  pastorate,  even  if 
unable  to  do  anything  but  pray  for  you,  and  another  must  serve  you. 

"  Look  then,  dear  brethren,  not  at  me,  but  at  the  precious  interests  of 
this  body;  and  under  the  sought  guidance  of  Him  to  whom  the  church  is 
so  dear,  seek  and  determine  and  do  whatever  seems  to  you  adapted  to 
promote  the  best  interests  of  this  body." 

With  a  courtesy  equaled  only  by  their  love,  Mount 
Vernon  Church  insisted  upon  his  remaining  in  the  pastorate, 
voting  him  an  annual  salary  of  two  thousand  dollars,  yet  re- 
lieving him  of  every  pastoral  duty. 

No  one  in  all  the  parish  more  cordially  than  he  welcomed 
to  the  pulpit  he  so  long  had  filled,  the  associate  pastor,  Rev. 
Samuel  E.  Herrick,  who  was  installed  over  the  church  on  the 
12th  of  April,  1871.  Never  to  this  day  has  mention  ceased 
to  be  made  of  the  prayer  offered  in  the  little  room  every 
Sabbath,  for  a  blessing  upon  his  associate  who  should  unfold 
divine  truth.  It  was  "  holy  ground,"  for  there,  during  a  pas- 
torate of  twenty-seven  years,  God  had  spoken  to  him,  and 
because  of  this  communion  he  wist  not,  what  his  people 
knew,  that  his  face  shone.  He  sought  the  same  blessing 
upon  his  beloved  associate. 

The  friendship  between  the  two  pastors  knew  no  break. 
Side  by  side  they  stood  in  the  sacred  desk  for  three  years 
save  as  sickness  interrupted,  —  the  heart-searching,  schol- 
arly sermons  of  the  one  followed  by  the  beautiful  benedic- 
tions of  the  other.  He  who  knew  so  well  how  to  preach 
knew  just  as  truly  how  to  listen.  So  powerfully  did  his 
benedictions  impress  the  congregation,  that  a  friend  took 
down  a  few,  which  are  here  given  with  the  text  from  which 
Mr.  Herrick  had  discoursed.  The  central  thought  of  each 
sermon  Dr.  Kirk    imparted  in  the  blessing  of   the    people. 


410  LIFE   OF  EDWARD   NORRIS   KIRK. 

What  is  true  in  these  few  instances  was  true  of  his  whole 
ministerial  life,  he  never  repeated  even  the  same  benedic- 
tion. 

BENEDICTIONS. 

Text:  1  Cor.  ix.  26.  "  May  grace  be  given  us  to  enter  the  course,  to 
run  the  race,  and  to  obtain  the  crown,  and  we  will  give  all  the  glory  to 
Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Spirit,  forever.     Amen." 

2  Cor.  ix.  15.  "Thanks  be  unto  God  for  his  unspeakable  gift,  and 
may  his  grace  be  added  to  lead  us  now  to  accept  this  gift.     Amen." 

"  And  Ruth  clave  unto  her."  "May  the  spirit  of  adoption  be  ours 
to  cry  '  Abba,  Father,'  and  may  -we  behold  the  reconciled  face  of  our 
God,  through  our  Saviour,  Jesus  Christ.     Amen." 

Luke  xv.  1 7-20.  "  May  you  know  the  blessedness  of  meeting  a  rec- 
onciled Father,  and  of  hearing  Him  say,  '  Thy  sins  be  forgiven  thee,'  and 
finally  be  admitted  to  that  home,  to  go  no  more  out  forever,  through 
faith  in  Jesus  Christ.     Amen."  fc 

Rev.  ii.  9,  1.  c.  "  May  the  convincing,  consoling,  sanctifying  power 
of  the  Spirit,  be  with  you,  and  a  crown  of  life  be  yours  forever,  through 
Jesus  Christ  our  Lord.     Amen." 

Friday  evening  after  Deacon  Palmer's  death.  "  May  He  who  con- 
verted, justified,  sanctified,  and  has  now  glorified,  our  dear  brother, 
be  your  Saviour,  Sanctifier,  Comforter,  and  Guide,  for  his  name's  sake. 
Amen." 

Deacon  Palmer's  funeral.  "  May  every  mourning  heart  have  grace  to 
say  cheerfully,  '  Thy  will  be  done,'  and  that  same  grace,  through  faith, 
obtain  for  us  all  the  crown  at  last,  through  Christ  our  Lord.     Amen." 

Gen.  vi.  22.  "  May  grace  and  wisdom  be  given  us  all,  to  believe  that 
the  deluge  is  coming,  to  enter  into  the  ark,  to  float  safely  over  all  the 
sorrows  and  wrecks  of  this  world,  and  be  received  at  last  into  the  glo- 
ries of  heaven,  through  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord.     Amen." 

Preparatory  lecture,  Sol.  S.  ii.  4.  "  May  the  Spirit  show  to  each  of 
us  this  banner  of  love ;  under  it  may  we  fight,  under  it  may  we  suffer,  and 
under  it  may  we  rejoice  through  time,  and  evermore  through  the  ages  of 
eternity,  through  Christ  our  Saviour.     Amen.' 

Ps.  1.  14.  "  May  grace  be  given  to  each  of  us,  to  revive  the  memory 
of  broken  vows;  may  we  go  to  God  for  strength  to  keep  these  vows,  and 
love  and  serve  Him  for  ever  and  ever.     Amen." 

Prayer-meeting.  "May  grace  be  given  us,  to  despise  ourselves  as  sin- 
ners, to  look  upon  ourselves  as  beloved  of  God,  to  take  advantage  of  that 
love,  and  creep  up  to  his  heart,  and  there  live  forever,  through  Christ 
our  Redeemer.     Amen." 

Is.  xxviii.  16.  "  May  this  be  the  prayer  of  each  of  us;  may  we  all 
know  what  it  means  to  be  near  God,  through  Christ  our  Lord.     Amen." 


LATER  YEARS  AND  DEATH.  411 

Job  xv.  4.  "May  you  all  learn  to  pray,  and  may  the  Spirit  help 
your  infirmities,  that  when  you  have  ended  a  life  of  prayer,  you  may  be- 
gin a  life  of  praise  above,  through  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord.     Amen." 

2  Tim.  ii.  9.  "  May  the  Spirit  give  you  the  ear  to  hear  the  word, 
faith  to  understand,  and  grace  to  do  the  will  of  God.     Amen." 

Acts  ix.  3-6.  "  May  there  not  be  one  heart  untouched  in  this  assem- 
bly by  the  finger  of  God ;  may  every  heart  respond  to  the  love  of  God ; 
and  may  the  grace  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  be  with  you  all.     Amen." 

For  three  years  the  shadow  like  that  which  fell  upon  Mil- 
ton came  upon  him.  As  already  hinted,  his  vision,  becom- 
ing more  and  more  indistinct,  was  at  length  lost  in  blindness. 
Book  after  book,  beginning  with  those  of  the  smallest  type, 
he  laid  one  side  ;  but  last  of  all,  the  Bible,  always  open  upon 
the  student's  desk,  was  unread.  The  powerful  magnifying 
glass  was  given  up  as  useless  while  he  waited  for  the  total 
eclipse.  He  would  sit  at  his  eastern  window  in  the  morning 
and  in  the  western  toward  night  to  catch  a  single  beam  of 
light  before  it  should  be  too  late  ;  but  soon  every  beam  had 
lost  its  power. 

His  physician  thus  writes  :  — 

"  The  failure  of  sight  came  very  gradually  upon  him.  This,  probably, 
was  one  of  the  greatest  trials  of  his  life.  The  optic  nerve  of  one  eye 
was  seriously  damaged,  and  cataract  began  to  develop  on  the  other. 
He  was  cautioned  to  avoid  night  study;  but  to  obey  this  injunction  was 
to  change  the  whole  habit  of  his  student  life.  When  called  out  by  night 
I  frequently  noticed  the  bright  gas-light  in  his  study-windows  at  twelve, 
one,  or  two. 

"  When  reminded  of  this  imprudence  his  reply  would  be,  '  Ah,  doctor, 
my  books,  my  books,  my  old  companions  !  how  can  I  desert  them? ' 

"  At  length,  at  my  suggestion,  Dr.  Kirk  consulted  an  oculist,  who 
advised  extraction  of  the  cataract.  The  day  for  the  operation  was  ap- 
pointed, ether  was  administered,  and  the  operation  was  successfully  per- 
formed. His  wonted  courage  and  calmness  did  not  fail  him.  As  a 
result  of  the  greatest  service  and  comfort  to  him  he  recovered  his  sight." 

His  physician  met  him  one  day,  with  the  remark,  "  Dr. 
Kirk,  I  think  you  must  be  lonely."  "  Oh  no,  bless  you,  I 
should  never  know  what  it  is  to  be  lonely.  I  pity  the  man 
who  has  no  spiritual  and  mental  resources."  Upon  one 
occasion  his  friend,  Mrs.  Claflin,  said,  "  You  really  seem  to 


412  LIFE   OF  EDWARD  NORRIS   KIRK. 

rejoice  over  your  blindness  !  "  "  Well,"  was  his  reply,  "  1 
have  such  beautiful  views  of  heaven  and  of  Christ  in  my 
silent  life  that  I  am  reconciled."  His  hope,  like  that  of 
every  one,  was  best  tested  in  the  days  of  darkness.  No 
doubt  remained.  "  I  was  never  so  happy  in  my  life  as  I 
am  now,"  he  said  one  day  to  his  sisters  while  they  minis- 
tered to  his  wants.  Day  after  day,  and  hour  after  hour, 
each  clay,  they  read  to  him,  especially  from  the  Scriptures. 

The  history  of  the  months  of  total  blindness  is  private 
rather  than  public.  It  is  enough  for  us  to  know  that  he  was 
never  heard'to  complain. 

When  hardly  able  to  distinguish  any  objects,  he  often  in- 
sisted upon  walking  out  upon  the  streets  alone,  and  no  harm 
ever  befell  him.  A  young  man,  at  that  time  a  member  of 
the  Theological  Seminary  in  Andover,  writes  of  this  period 
as  follows :  "  Some  time  during  his  blindness  I  saw  Dr. 
Kirk  standing  on  the  corner  of  Tremont  and  Boylston  streets, 
leaning  on  his  staff,  whereupon  my  friend,  leaving  me,  went 
to  him  and  asked  if  he  wished  any  assistance  ?  '  Ah,  I  was 
waiting  for  some  one  to  lead  me  across  the  street.  I  knew 
I  should  not  have  to  wait  long  for  a  friend  to  help  me. 
Thank  you.'  His  standing  and  waiting  suggested  to  me 
more  of  his  trust  in  man,  and  faith  in  the  unseen  Friend, 
than  the  pen  can  possibly  describe." 

It  is  impossible  to  magnify  too  highly  the  kind  offices  of 
hundreds  whom  he  met.  Strangers  to  him  asked  the  privi- 
lege of  rendering  him  assistance.  Conductors  on  the  horse- 
cars  often  insisted  upon  leading  him  to  the  sidewalk,  even 
though  he  had  an  escort.  It  was  the  same  everywhere.  As 
he  had  done  to  others  for  threescore  years  and  ten,  so  did 
others  to  him. 

On  the  17th  of  May,  1872,  the  operation  was  performed 
which  resulted  in  giving  him  sight  again.  Brighter  and 
brighter  grew  his  life.  The  homes  in  city  and  country  which 
had  been  always  open  to  him  in  his  blindness  were  made  still 
more  happy  by  his  joy.  It  will  not  be  called  invidious  if 
among  the  hundreds   of  families  who   delighted  to  do  him 


LATER  YEARS  AND  DEATH.  413 

honor  there  should  be  recalled  such  names  as  Tobey,  War- 
ren, Durant,  Claflin,  Hubbard,  Littell,  Safford,  friends  most 
intimate,  whose  deeds,  uncounted  and  untold,  especially 
helped  him  to  a  more  tranquil  and  serene  old  age. 

He  grew  more  and  more  tender  in  his  expressions  and  in 
his  feelings.  Mere  dogmatism  grew  more  repulsive  than 
ever  to  him.  "  Were  I  to  begin  my  life  over  again,"  he  said, 
"  the  only  creed  I  should  have  would  be  an  answer  to  the 
question,  '  Do  you  believe  on  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  ?  Do 
you  love  and  trust  Him  ?  '  "  He  often  repeated  the  story  of 
the  old  Scotch  woman,  who  presented  herself  for  admission 
to  the  church  of  his  childhood,  that  of  Dr.  Mason  in  New 
York.  To  every  question  upon  the  creed  she  gave  the  in- 
variable reply,  "  I  dinna  ken."  The  wise  and  experienced 
men  were  amazed  at  her  boldness  in  seeking  admission  with 
such  ignorance,  and  politely  suggested  that  she  consider  still 
further  the  several  points  of  their  creed.  Wearily  she  left 
the  room,  only  to  open  once  more  the  door  she  had  closed 
and  to  say,  "  I  canna  speak  for  Him,  but  I  can  dee  for  Him." 
Such  an  experience  would  be  covered  by  Dr.  Kirk's  creed. 

Yet  his  faith  did  not  become  mere  sentimentalism.  A 
friend  asked  him,  "Don't  you  think  you  could  do  just  as 
much  good  by  leaving  out  some  of  the  severe  expressions." 
"  My  dear  friend,"  he  replied,  "  I  cannot  improve  upon 
God's  ways." 

Again,  one  spoke  to  him  :  "  I  know  I  am  a  Christian,  but 
I  desire  to  show  myself  a  Christian  in  society  ;  what  shall  I 
do ?  "  He  replied  :  "I  always  try  to  put  myself  into  this 
attitude  before  leaving  home :  Lord,  give  me  an  opportunity 
to  honor  Thee,  and  a  heart  to  embrace  the  opportunity. 
This  is  all  our  Lord  requires." 

Speaking  to  his  friend,  Mrs.  Claflin,  who  in  her  deep  sor- 
row often  visited  the  grave  of  a  daughter,  he  said:  "  Going 
there  unfits  you  for  your  active  duties."  But  having  gone 
thither  with  her  several  times,  he  one  day  remarked :  "I 
have  been  greatly  mistaken  ;  even  the  resting-places  of  the 
dear  departed  have  their  lessons  in  the  midst  of  life."     He 


414  LIFE   OF  EDWARD  NORRIS   KIRK. 

waited  for  a  moment  and  then  continued  :  "  When  I  am  gone 
will  you  sometimes  come  to  my  grave?" 

The  sun  in  his  western  journey  sees  farther  than  we  see, 
and  the  nearer  he  is  to  his  setting,  so  much  the  more  clearly 
do  the  objects  beyond  our  horizon  appear.  Not  a  great  pub- 
lic movement  escaped  Dr.  Kirk's  vision ;  his  undiminished 
sympathies  were  with  the  living,  and  yet  he  looked  more  and 
more  deeply  into  the  things  which,  to  those  of  us  nearer  the 
rising  of  the  sun,  are  hidden.  His  own  words,  written  years 
before,  were  becoming  true  :  — 

"  Ripe  for  heaven.  Perhaps  a  few  more  suns  must  shine  upon  you,  a 
few  more  rains  must  fall;  he  sees  something  yet  not  quite  complete  ;  but 
the  time  is  near,  it  hastens,  when  you  will  feel  the  sickle.  Fear  it  not; 
you  know  what  hand  holds  it.  It  cuts  down  only  the  straw.  The  pre- 
cious grain  is  garnered.  There  may  come  the  sharp-edged  sickle,  and  then 
the  tremendous  blow  of  the  flail.  That  ends  your  earthly  history.  The 
rest  dates  from  heaven.  A  soul  ripened  for  glory  in  this  field  of  sin  and 
death  !  Surely  the  joy  of  the  harvest  thrills  through  the  heavenly  man- 
sions." 

A  while  before  "  he  fell  on  his  last  sleep  "  he  was  heard 
to  say  :  — 

"  Go  to  Mount  Auburn  ;  read  the  records  of  that  city  of  the  dead  ;  see 
that  comment  on  the  words  of  holy  writ  :  Dust  thou  art,  and  unto  dust 
shalt  thou  return.  Dust,  —  particles  of  clay  that  are  most  exquisitely  put 
together,  cemented  by  a  principle  too  subtle  for  all  science,  for  all  ob- 
servation, yet  still  but  dust,  —  that  crumbles  at  a  touch.  What  is  life  ? 
God  calls  it  a  vapor.  It  is  a  breath,  a  breath  you  did  not  create,  nor 
can  recall.  You  can  no  more  control  it  than  you  can  the  winds.  It  may 
leave  you  now,  or  as  you  rise  to  go  out,  or  when  you  sleep  to-night,  to- 
morrow when  you  are  trafficking,  when  you  are  serious  or  trifling,  danc- 
ing or  praying.  You  may  be  attired  for  the  gayest  scene,  awaiting  a 
friend,  securely  seated  at  your  father's  fireside,  and  in  an  instant  be  in 
the  fierce  and  fiery  embrace  of  death,  exchanging  your  rich  garments  for 
a  winding-sheet  of  flame,  breathing  in  an  atmosphere  of  fire  ;  in  an  in- 
stant, unwarned,  unattended,  unaided,  gone  !  What  is  your  life  ?  A 
vapor. 

"  One  day  a  beautiful  young  creature,  that  seemed  made  for  endless 
youth,  turned  and  said  to  an  attendant,  '  I  feel  strangely  '  ;  she  gasped, 
she  fell,  not  to  rise  again  until  the  heavens  and  the  earth  be  no  more. 
Her  life  was  even  a  vapor.     A  beauteous,  gilded  cloud,  it  floated  over 


LATER  YEARS  AND  DEATH.  415 

our  earth,  and  threw  an  enchanting  veil  over  everything  around.  But  it 
was  a  vapor.  Life  has  a  hundred  laws  ;  if  one  of  them  is  infringed  it 
evaporates.  It  has  a  hundred  threads ;  if  one  of  them  is  broken  it  per- 
ishes. How  mysterious,  how  precious,  how  uncertain  is  life  !  This  law 
is  universal.  Life  with  us  is  but  a  process  of  decay.  The  period  of  de- 
cay begins  with  some  at  birth.  From  the  summit  of  life  the  progress  is 
downward.  Sickness  is  before  us ;  pains  and  privations  await  us  ;  old 
age  will  soon  be  upon  us.  Instead  of  remembering  their  own  steady 
decay,  and  that  every  pulse  is  but  a  '  muffled  drum  '  beating  our  funeral 
march,  the  young  and  the  healthful  look  on  the  sick  and  dying  as  sepa- 
rated by  a  great  gulf  from  them.  We  think  we  shall  never  be  overtaken 
by  such  calamities.  But  whether  in  youth,  or  in  manhood,  or  aged  and 
infirm,  we  are  certain  to  die  and  pass  to  the  judgment.  We  must  leave 
all  that  is  loved  here,  and  go  to  all  that  is  dreaded  there. 

"  And  this  solemn  fact  is  the  more  impressive  to  us  as  we  survey  the 
long  procession  of  the  dying  from  age  to  age.  What  numbers,  what 
talents,  what  loveliness,  what  goodness  have  passed  away  from  the  earth  ! 
How  impressively  has  one  spoken  of  it,  —  a  man  whose  name  for  a  time 
filled  Britain  and  America,  —  Walter  Scott.  No  sounder  piece  of  British 
manhood  was  there  in  this  nineteenth  century.  Yet,  alas  !  his  fine  Scotch 
face,  with  its  shaggy,  homely  sagacity  and  goodness,  when  he  passed  over 
Edinburgh  streets,  was  all  worn  with  care,  the  joy  all  fled  from  it,  plowed 
deep  with  labor  and  sorrow.  We  shall  never  forget  it.  Thus  life  is  a 
vapor  that  appeareth  but  a  little  time.  The  human  frame  is  beautiful, 
and  it  is  painful  to  see  it  wasting  away  and  decaying  like  the  leaves  of 
the  forest.  The  flow  of  youthful  spirits  is  like  the  rush  of  morning  light, 
like  the  dance  of  the  woodland  rivulet,  like  the  footsteps  of  angels.  The 
hopes  of  the  human  heart  are  like  prophecies  of  heaven,  echoes  of  its 
songs,  foretastes  of  its  blessedness.  And  yet  they  are  here  only  in  frag- 
ments, scattered  like  the  ruins  of  Nero's  golden  house,  like  the  pillars  of 
the  Parthenon.  Since  life  is  so  lovely,  why  is  it  as  fleeting  as  a  vapor  ? 
There  is  but  one  answer  :  '  Death  entered  by  sin.'  These  wastings  and 
changings,  this  sorrow  and  dying,  may  help  us  unclothe  ourselves  of 
earth  and  put  on  the  robes  of  heaven.  Never  allow  the  soul  to  live  on  a 
vapor,  so  as  to  die  with  its  evaporation.  Value  life  for  its  highest  ends, 
as  the  seed-time  for  an  eternal  harvest,  and  then  you  can  smile  in  the 
chamber  of  sickness,  and  praise  God  at  the  gate  of  the  tomb." 

To  everything  there  must  be  a  last  time.  In  the  early 
part  of  January,  1874,  he  penned  the  following  communica- 
tion to  the  Mount  Vernon  Society.  Though  he  knew  it  not, 
it  was  to  be  his  last. 


416  LIFE   OF  EDWARD  NORMS   KIRK. 

"  Staniford  Street,  January,  1874. 
"  Dear  Brethren  and  Friends,  —  If  I  have  once  expressed  to  you 
my  appreciation  of  the  feelings  which  prompted  you  to  refuse  my  propo- 
sition that  our  relations  to  each  other  should  cease,  and  I  should  cease  to 
be  your  pastor,  you  will  not  take  it  amiss  that  I  here  repeat  the  expres- 
sion of  thankfulness  to  our  heavenly  Father  that  you  desire  to  call  me 
by  the  endearing  title  of  pastor. 

"  But  I  am  led  to  address  you  now  because  I  have  a  feeling  in  this 
connection  which  it  will  much  relieve  me  to  express,  connected  with 
your  vote  declining  my  proposal,  offering  to  express  your  affection  by 
the  annual  grant  of  two  thousand  dollars.  As  an  expression  of  affection 
for  me  it  rejoiced  my  heart.  It  was  a  timely  proposal  too,  because  with- 
out this  addition  to  my  income,  I  should  have  found  it  necessary  to  make 
domestic  changes  which  would  be  very  inconvenient,  if  not  make  my 
worshiping  in  the  place  now  become  so  sacred  to  me  no  longer  possible. 

"  But  there  were  circumstances  connected  with  your  offer  which 
caused  me  much  embarrassment.  At  the  close  of  my  pastorate  our 
society  was  rapidly  diminishing,  and  consequently  the  society's  income. 
I  saw  with  sorrow  that  our  beloved  associate  pastor  was  embarrassed  by 
our  inability  to  furnish  him  promptly  with  bis  quarterly  stipend,  in  itself 
incompetent  to  relieve  him  from  all  solicitudes  in  one  occupying  his 
position. 

"  Indeed,  if  it  had  not  been  for  the  delicacy  of  the  position,  it  would 
have  relieved  me  for  some  months  to  have  refused  the  sum  you  offered 
to  furnish  me,  or  to  have  offered  half  of  it  to  my  beloved  colleague. 

"  But  I  have  now  an  offer  to  make  to  you,  which  gives  me  relief  on  all 
points.  You  may  continue  to  express  your  kindness  in  the  same  form. 
I  may  remain  where  I  am,  and  you  may  proceed  in  your  present  course 
without  resort  to  an  increase  of  the  rate  of  pew-taxes,  and  without  re- 
course to  mortgages  that  may  cause  you  embarrassment,  or  needlessly 
expose  our  present  financial  weakness. 

"  I  now  propose  that  for  the  present  you  pay  me  what  may  be  due, 
from  time  to  time,  by  promissory  notes  in  such  form  as  may  suit  your  con- 
venience ;  so  framing  them  that  I  may  draw  upon  you  for  cash  occasion- 
ally; which,  as  my  affairs  now  stand,  will  not  be  very  often  necessary. 

"  In  the  uncertainty  of  the  duration  of  life,  it  is  prudent  to  recollect 
that  our  junior  pastor  may  not  be  permitted  to  live  to  realize  the  very 
encouraging  prospects  now  opening  before  him.  In  view  of  this  contin- 
gency our  society  may  be  compelled  to  sell  this  house  and  pay  off  its 
mortgages. 

"  May  I  not  be  living  to  see  the  event.     But  the  payment  of  the  notes 
that  may  then  be  held  by  my  heirs  will  be  a  burden  to  no  individuals. 
"Permit  me,  dear  friends,  to  embrace  this  occasion  to  express  some 


LATER  YEARS  AND  DEATH.  417 

thoughts  to  you  in  regard  to  the  great  subject  of  the  Christian  use  of 
money. 

"1.  In  voting  to  spend  money,  I  have  seen,  not  in  our  church  particu- 
larly, but  in  many  others,  two  great  evils.  The  first  is,  that  in  voting 
expenditures  for  repairs,  and  for  music  especially,  care  is  not  taken  to 
ascertain  whether  the  vote  of  taxation  is  a  fair  representation  of  the 
wishes  of  those  who  pay  the  taxes.  Every  vote  for  an  expense  not  ap- 
proved by  the  majority  of  tax-payers  is  an  injustice.  And  to  vote  an 
increase  of  the  tax  on  pews  is  very  often  a  vote  to  send  some  worshiper 
away  from  your  sanctuary.  If  the  glory  of  God,  and  the  general  inter- 
ests of  the  society,  require  the  vote,  pass  it  though  individuals  suffer. 

"  2.  Many  good  people  regard  the  money  they  pay  to  sustain  the 
church  with  which  they  worship  as  a  selfish  expenditure,  to  be  counted 
with  their  other  personal  expenses.  What  they  give  to  benevolent  socie- 
ties they  consider  sacred.     This  idea  has  many  evil  results. 

"Nothing  on  earth  is  more  sacred  than  the  individual,  local  churches, 
which  together  constitute  the  universal,  visible  church.  If  the  money 
your  local  church  expends  is  for  the  gratification  of  pride  or  any  other 
selfish  sentiment,  then  you  are  robbing  the  great  treasury  of  charity.  But 
if  the  life  and  healthfulness  of  Mount  Vernon  Church  require  you  to 
withhold  your  money  from  the  benevolent  societies,  the  text  is  applica- 
ble to  you  :   '  He  that  provideth  not  for  his  own  has  denied  the  faith. ' 

' '  Each  local  church  is  a  living  fountain  from  which  our  charitable 
society  draws  its  life.  If  you  would  know  the  value  of  Mount  Vernon 
Church  to  the  kingdom  of  Christ,  you  should  not  only  consult  the  treas- 
urer's books  of  our  benevolent  societies,  but  also  visit  the  churches  of 
our  land  near  us  and  remote  from  us,  and  see  what  a  school  it  has  been 
for  training  the  men  and  the  women  who  are  the  efficient  workers  in 
those  churches. 

"In  addition  to  this,  remember  that  your  church  is  the  school,  the 
spiritual  gymnasium,  where  your  children  and  your  neighbors'  children 
are  training  for  the  service  of  our  Lord.  Sustain  it,  therefore,  in  its  ex- 
ercises, by  your  presence  and  your  cooperation;  in  its  finances,  by  your 
cordial  contributions.  Affectionately  yours, 

"Edward  N.  Kirk." 

Full  quickly  passed  the  months.  Daily  mementos  of 
friendship  gladdened  his  heart.  Friends  old  and  tried,  and 
those  new  and  true,  flocked  to  see  him.  Invitations  for  him 
to  speak  and  to  preach  came  in  great  numbers ;  and,  so  far 
as  his  time  permitted,  he  heeded  them.  Visits  to  his  friends 
in  Cambridge,  Waltham,  Newtonville,  and  Boston  filled  up 
the  time  with  sacred  pleasures. 

27 


418  LIFE   OF  EDWARD  NORMS   KIRK. 

Calling  upon  one  at  her  boarding-place,  be  was  conducted 
into  the  parlor,  while  the  lady  of  the  house  announced  in 
rather  a  loud  whispered  tone  the  name  of  the  caller :  "  It  is 
Dr.  Kirk,  perhaps  you  had  better  go  down."  "  But,"  said 
he  to  the  friend  when  she  came  down,  "  I  wish  to  go  up." 
As  soon  as  he  had  ascended  the  two  flights  in  his  brisk  man- 
ner he  asked,  "  Who  said  that  I  should  not  go  up-stairs  ?  " 
To  the  same  friend,  who  introduced  her  brother,  he  asked, 
"  Which  one  ?  "  "  My  younger  brother,"  she  replied,  "  who 
is  studying  law."  "  That 's  right,  that 's  right,"  said  he, 
"  then  work  into  the  ministry  as  I  did." 

Thus  to  the  last,  even  as  of  old,  his  first  and  chief  thought 
was  of  the  ministry  of  the  gospel  to  dying  men.  The  fol- 
lowing is  a  description  of  his  last  sermon,  by  his  warm 
friend,  Rev.  S.  H.  Hayes,  pastor  of  the  Salem  and  Mariner's 
Church :  — 

"  I  have  thought  a  word  about  the  last  sermon  he  ever  preached  might 
be  of  some  interest.  It  was  on  the  evening  of  March  3,  1874,  in  the 
Hanover  Street  Methodist  Church,  which  we  occupied  while  our  new 
house  was  building. 

"It  was  a  cold,  cheerless  evening,  but  he  was  expecting  to  preach; 
and  upon  calling  I  found  him  walking  his  parlor  with  quick  step,  his 
face  all  aglow  with  the  animation  of  his  earlier  years.  When  I  spoke  of 
the  meeting  he  said,  'I  am  ready,'  and  started  instantly  for  his  outer 
garments.  As  we  set  out  on  the  walk,  half  a  mile  or  so,  he  told  me  he 
.should  preach  from  Matt.  v.  14,  'Ye  are  the  light  of  the  world,'  and  at 
once  began  to  lay  out  his  discourse,  covering  a  grand  field  of  thought, 
marshaling  the  church  for  the  mighty  victories  of  grace,  leading  her  on 
and  on,  and  with  prophetic  vision  seeing  the  glorious  conquests.  I  was 
startled,  and  said,  'you  will  not  go  over  all  this  ground  to-night,'  as  I 
knew  my  congregation  would  be  composed  largely  of  young  people,  and 
he  replied  that  he  was  only  speaking  it  as  it  lay  in  his  mind.  But  he 
presented  it  in  a  simple,  comprehensive,  impressive  manner,  gaining  and 
holding  the  attention  of  all  present,  and  at  the  close  young  and  old 
crowded  near  to  take  his  hand.  He  had  a  tender  word  of  exhortation  for 
each,  and  we  bade  him  good-night,  little  thinking  that  most  of  those 
present  would  see  his  face  no  more." 

On  Monday  morning,  March  23d,  he  addressed  his  breth- 
ren in  the  ministry  upon  "  Revivals."      So  interested  were 


LATER  YEAES  AND  DEATH.  419 

they  that  they  made  the  unusual  request  that  he  continue 
the  discussion  of  the  same  theme  next  week.  The  following 
Thursday  he  asked  :  "  Does  my  memory  seem  to  fail  ?  "  and 
"do  I  speak  indistinctly?"  We  could  not  call  him  old; 
but  he  was  growing  infirm.  He  complained  of  indigestion, 
but  was  so  much  relieved  by  a  simple  remedy  that  he  was 
able  to  fulfill  an  engagement  with  some  friends,  and  passed  a 
very  enjoyable  evening. 

On  Friday  he  ate  his  breakfast  with  a  good  appetite  ;  and 
after  family  devotions  began  his  work  upon  the  second  dis- 
cussion upon  revivals.  At  about  eleven  o'clock  his  sister 
Harriet  entered  the  parlor  where  he  was  writing.  Soon 
after  he  rose,  laid  down  his  pen  —  it  was  the  last  time  — 
walked  backwards  and  forwards  as  was  his  wont  —  now  for 
the  last  time.  His  work  zvas  done,  and  well  done.  His 
unsteady  gait  attracted  his  sister's  attention,  who  assisted  him 
to  lie  down  upon  the  sofa.  To  her  anxious  inquiry  he  could 
return  no  answer,  although  consciousness  was  manifested  by 
his  giving  her  his  spectacles  and  the  case  in  which  he  had 
vainly  endeavored  to  put  them,  laying  them  aside  for  the 
last  time.  He  motioned  his  wish  to  be  taken  to  his  room, 
and  immediately  sank  under  the  stupor  of  apoplexy. 

His  physician,  Dr.  Ayer,  another  honored  parishioner,  Dr. 
Green,  and  the  ever  faithful  sisters,  were  the  last  to  minister 
to  his  earthly  wants.  He  had  heard  the  call,  "  Come  up 
higher !  "  and  he  was  ready.  The  old  Puritan  prayer  was 
being  answered :  "  May  we  so  live  that  to  us  a  sudden  death 
may  be  the  most  happy  ! "  There  were  to  be  no  farewells 
spoken.  From  the  moment  he  heard  the  call  he  was  uncon- 
scious touching  all  things  earthly. 

The  gate  of  glory  was  slow  in  opening ;  and  how  much  he 
saw  of  things  concerning  which  the  human  lips  cannot  speak, 
before  passing  hence,  we  do  not  know.  The  lines  of  Mrs. 
Browning,  his  favorite  poem  oftenest  repeated,  —  yes,  a  thou- 
sand times  repeated  to  friends,  —  were  coming  true,  though 
others  must  recall  them  :  — 


420  LITE   OF   EDWARD  NORRIS   KIRK. 

"  Life,  we  have  been  long  together 
In  sunny  and  in  cloudy  weather. 
'T  is  hard  to  part  when  friends  are  dear, — 
May  cost  a  sigh,  perhaps  a  tear. 
Then  take  thine  own  time, 
Give  little  warning; 
Say  not  good-night, 
But  in  some  brighter  clime 
Bid  me  good-morning." 

In  the  afteimoon  of  that  same  Friday,  March  27,  1874,  at 
ten  minutes  of  five  as  we  count  time,  he  passed  through  the 
gate  of  glory,  beyond  which  there  is  no  night.  His  sun  set 
in  splendor.  He  went  home  at  evening  and  found  it  morn- 
ing there. 

The  hymn  he  had  perhaps  sung  oftenest  had  been  that  of 
Hillhouse,  beginning  with  the  line,  "  Trembling  before  thine 
awful  throne."  By  anticipation  of  the  future  the  last  three 
stanzas  had  often  been  almost  a  means  of  his  transport  by 
faith  to  the  home  of  the  redeemed. 

Our  hymn  writers  are  only  inspired  for  earth,  and  our  best 
music  might  be  discordant  in  the  better  land  ;  yet,  in  our 
highest  conception  of  him  as  he  now  is,  we  ponder  the 
words  of  his  own  pure  choice,  so  often  giving  him  comfort 
while  here :  — 

"  Earth  has  a  joy  unknown  in  heaven,  — 
The  new-born  peace  of  sins  forgiven; 
Tears  of  such  pure  and  deep  delight, 
Ye  angels !  never  dimmed  your  sight. 

"Ye  know  where  morn  exulting  springs, 
And  evening  folds  her  drooping  wings; 
Loud  is  your  song;  the  heavenly  plain 
Is  shaken  by  your  choral  strain. 

"But  I  amid  your  choirs  shall  shine, 
And  all  your  knowledge  will  be  mine; 
Ye  on  your  harps  must  lean  to  hear 
A  secret  chord  that  mine  will  bear." 

On  the  following  Tuesday,  March  31st,  his  body  was 
borne  from  the  home  on  Staniford  Street  to  the  church. 
Hardly  yet  were  the  loving  people  accustomed  to  the  truth 
that  he  was  gone.     Their  grief  was  too  deep  for  expression. 


LATER  YEARS  AND  DEATH.  421 

The  pulpit  was  heavily  draped.  Upon  either  side  of  the 
pulpit  recess  hung  heavy  folds  of  black  crape.  Festoons  of 
smilax  and  flowers  spoke  their  own  language.  The  gallery- 
rail  and  the  organ  were  elaborately  trimmed  with  black  and 
white  drapery,  lending  to  the  whole  interior  a  consistent  as 
well  as  a  solemn  beauty. 

Long  before  the  time  of  the  service  the  spacious  church 
was  densely  packed,  hundreds  being  compelled  to  stand, 
while  hundreds  more  could  find  no  entrance.  It  was  like 
the  mourning  for  a  father  and  a  friend.  The  opening  chant 
by  the  choir,  "  Passing  Away,"  voiced  the  beating  heart  of 
the  great  concourse.  Appropriate  selections  from  the  Script- 
ures were  then  read  by  Mr.  Herrick,  the  associate  pastor  ; 
following  which  the  choir  sang  the  beautiful  anthem,  "  Rest, 
Spirit,  Rest."  Addresses,  eulogistic  of  the  man  and  his 
work,  were  made  by  the  Rev.  G.  W.  Blagden,  D.  D.,  pastor 
of  the  Old  South  Church,  Rev.  Rollin  H.  Neale,  D.  D.,  of  the 
First  Baptist  Church,  and  Rev.  E.  K.  Alclen,  D.  D.,  of  the 
Phillips  Church,  South  Boston.  A  fervent  and  appropriate 
prayer  was  then  offered  by  the  Rev.  E.  B.  Webb,  D.  D.,  of 
the  Shawmut  Church.  The  closing  service  of  the  choir  was 
followed  by  the  benediction  pronounced  by  the  venerable 
Rufus  Anderson,  D.  D.  For  more  than  an  hour  the  people 
thronged  the  aisles  in  their  desire  to  look,  though  but  for  one 
moment,  upon  the  face  they  so  often  had  seen,  now  beautiful 
in  its  repose.  No  man  was  ever  more  loved,  as  the  tears  and 
suppressed  sobs  of  the  great  company  bore  witness.  All 
classes  of  society  and  men  of  every  creed  were  there.  It 
was  their  last  public  tribute  to  the  man  they  had  learned  to 
respect  and  honor. 

That  afternoon  the  precious  dust  was  laid  away  in  Mount 
Auburn,  —  one  more  honored  name  added  to  its  noble  list. 
Over  that  grave  many  a  friend  has  silently  bowed,  saying : 
"  Because  of  his  precepts  and  example  I  have  lived  a  better 
life."  The  world  is  better  because  he  has  lived  ;  and  with- 
out such  a  tribute  every  life  is  a  failure. 

The  tower  and  chapel  in  Mount  Auburn  greet  the  spires 


422  LIFE   OF  EDWARD  NORRIS  KIRK. 

and  towers  of  Boston  and  its  suburbs  from  the  rising  to  the 
setting  sun.  The  city  of  the  living  sends  one  by  one  her 
inhabitants  to  the  city  of  the  dead.  From  the  elegant  man- 
sion to  the  narrow  house  !  From  the  crowded  streets  to  those 
where  laughter  is  never  heard !  From  the  city  of  strife  to 
that  of  peace  !     The  last  gift  of  earth  is  a  grave. 

The  dweller  in  the  narrow  house  is  borne  but  once  over 
the  silent  streets.  The  trees  of  pine  and  of  cypress,  of  maple 
and  of  willow,  whisper  and  sigh  their  plaintive  notes  day  and 
night.  No  watchman  patrols  its  streets.  Gold,  silver,  and 
title-deeds  are  not  there. 

Bankers  guard  their  safes  in  the  other  city,  where  thieves 
find  their  way.  Merchants  plan  and  toil.  Ships  of  com- 
merce, laden  to  the  highest  mark,  enter  and  leave  the  har- 
bor day  by  day.  Lovers  of  pleasure  keep  up  their  rest- 
less search.  Reformers  continue  at  their  almost  thankless 
task.  Educators  give  themselves  no  rest.  Physicians  en- 
gage in  the  unequal  contest  with  disease  and  death.  Men 
of  culture  unselfishly  labor  on.  Hundreds  crowd  their  way 
to  the  benches  of  justice,  to  see  which  scale  shall  decree 
their  fate.  Multitudes  of  a  Sabbath  wend  their  way  to  the 
houses  of  worship.  Yet  the  stranger  who  visits  the  city  of 
the  living  visits  likewise  the  city  of  the  dead.  The  names 
carved  upon  the  tablets  of  marble  have  the  richest  history. 

The  sun  which  gilds  the  dome  of  the  capitol  in  the  one 
lights  up  the  grave  of  its  architect  in  the  other.  Merchants 
whose  names  even  to-day  are  a  tower  of  strength,  rest  there 
in  peace.  Theological  controversies,  still  rife  among  the 
living,  date  back  to  names  carved  on  Mount  Auburn's  silent 
streets.  John  Murray,  Hosea  Ballou,  Thomas  Whittemore, 
are  they  whose  memories  tens  of  thousands  still  rehearse. 
Many  a  traveler  seeks  out  the  grave  of  William  Ellery 
Channing.  Stout  defenders  of  the  old  Puritan  faith,  there 
are  many.  Students  read  the  names  of  Kirkland  and 
Quincy,  honoi-ed  in  their  Alma  Mater.  Scientists  linger 
at  the  grave  of  Dr.  Bowditch,  the  worthy  disciple  of  New- 
ton and  La  Place.     Jurists  rehearse  at  the  graves  of  Story, 


LATER  YEARS  AND  DEATH.  423 

Choate,  and  Aslimun,  merited  tributes  of  love  and  respect. 
The  works  of  Hannah  Adams  and  those  of  President  Sparks 
are  still  read,  but  on  these  silent  streets  their  authors  sleep. 

In  such  a  city,  on  Bellwort  Path,  is  the  resting-place  of 
Edward  Norris  Kirk.  The  sun  lights  up  at  the  same  mo- 
ment his  grave  and  those  of  Everett  and  Pierpont,  Bur- 
lingame  and  Sumner.  Just  across  the  path,  upon  an  un- 
trimmed  boulder,  has  been  graven  the  name,  —  Jean  Louis 
Rodolphe  Agassiz.  Names  like  these  form  only  a  part  of 
the  roll  which  leaves  Mount  Auburn  more  and  more  noted 
with  the  years. 

In  the  strength  of  his  hope,  Edward  Norris  Kirk  could 
say  with  the  Apostle,  "  O  death,  where  is  thy  sting  ?  O 
grave  where  is  thy  victory  ?  .  .  .  .  Thanks  be  to  God  who 
giveth  us  the  victory  through  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ."  And 
he  among  those  that  are  wise  "  shall  shine  as  the  brightness 
of  the  firmament ; "  and  with  those  that  have  turned  many 
to  righteousness,  "  as  the  stars,  forever  and  ever." 


APPENDIX. 


LIST   OF   DR.    KIRK'S   PUBLISHED   WRITINGS. 

The  annexed  list  has  been  compiled  from  various  sources.  As  far  as 
possible  full  titles,  with  date,  place,  and  form  of  publication,  have  been 
given.  In  many  cases  our  only  guide  has  been  Dr.  Kirk's  private  mem- 
orandum book,  which  contains  but  the  briefest  mention  of  the  subject, 
without  title,  and  generally  without  information  as  to  whether  the  dis- 
course was  printed  in  pamphlet  form  or  in  some  newspaper. 

Those  which  appeared  only  in  newspaper  form  are  designated  by  N.  ; 
those  whose  form  of  publication  is  uncertain,  by  a  *. 

1829. 
Memorial  of  Rev.  John  Chester,  D.D Albany.     8° 

1831. 

Address  at  the  Anniversary  of  the  Society  for  the  Relief  of  Or- 
phan and  Destitute  Children Albany.     8° 

1835. 

Sermon.     On  the  Traffic  in  Intoxicating  Liquors.     Preached  in 

Albany  in  1835 Albany.     12© 

Music * 

1836. 

Oration,  July  4,  1836 Albany.     8° 

Address  at  the  Annual  Meeting  of  the  Young  Men's  Temperance 

Society,  Albany Albany.    8° 

1837. 

Valedictory  Sermon  at  Albany,  1837     ....  Albany.     8° 

Sermon.     The  Christian  Ministry  ....        London.     12° 


426  APPENDIX. 


1838. 

Sermon.     The    Temperance    Reformation    connected    with    the 

Progress  of  Religion      .......     London.     12° 

Sermon.     Agreement  with  God        .....     London.     12° 

Sermon.     Obligations  of  Young  Men        .  London.     12° 

Sermon.     Man's  Natural  Enmity  to  God  .         .         .     London.     12° 

Church  Music.     Three  discourses    .......* 

Prodigal  Son  ..........* 

Carnal  Mind • * 

Maternal  Association.        .........* 

Children * 

Love  to  Christ * 

Moral  Affinity  .  * 

1839. 

Jesus,  the  Great  Missionary:  a  Sermon,  November  13,  1839,  at 

the  ordination  of  S.  Wolcott  as  a  foreign  missionary      .        Boston.     8° 

1840. 
Sermons  in  England  and  America    ....        New  York.     12° 

1841. 

Oration  on  the  National  Fast,  May  14,  1841     .        .  New  York.     8° 

President  Harrison  .         .         .         .   •      .         .         .         .         .         * 

Oration  before  the  Academy  of  Sacred  Music,  1841         .  New  York.     8° 

1842. 

Translation  of  "  Theopneusty,  or  the  Plenary  Inspiration  of  the 

Holy  Scripture,  by  S.  R.  L.  Gaussen  "        .         .         New  York.     12° 

1843. 

Address  in  Gilmanton,  N.  H.,  July  13,  1843   .         .         .  Gilmanton.  8° 
Plea  for  the  Poor  :  a  Sermon,  December  20,  1842    .         .       Boston.  16° 
Pastor's  Address  to  the  Maternal  Association  of  the  New  Congre- 
gational Church,  organized  October  6,  1842           .         .      Boston.  12° 
Address   at  the  Laying   of   the  Corner-stone   of  Mount  Vernon 

Church,  July  4,  1843 N. 

Successful  Ministry * 

1844. 

Address  to  the  Ladies'  Grande  Eigne  Missionary  Society  of  Boston, 

November  12,  1844 Boston.     8° 


APPENDIX. 


427 


Greatness  of  the  Soul :  an  Address  delivered  at  the  Seventh  Anni- 
versary of  the  Mount  Holyoke  Female  Seminary,  South  Hadley, 
Mass.  August  1,  1844 Boston.    8° 

The  Unrivalled  Glory  of  the  Cross:  a  Sermon  at  the  Dedication 

of  the  Mount  Vernon  Congregational  Church     .         .         .  Boston.     8° 

1845. 

Speech  at  the  Annual  Meeting  of  the  Christian  Alliance  in  New 

York,  in  1845 8° 

Sermon  preached  on  the  Sabbath  after  the  Death  of  Miss  Sophia 

W.  Willis (In  Amer.  Pulpit  for  October,  1845.) 

Religious  Liberty    .......... 


184G. 


The  Drunkard's  Character  and  Destiny  :  a  Discourse 
Beauty    ......... 


Boston.     32° 


1847. 

Address  before  the  Ladies'  Society  for  the  Promotion  of  Educa- 
tion at  the  West  ......... 

Daniel  in  the  Lion's  Den:   a  Sermon 

1848. 


* 
8° 


The  Church  Essential  to  the  Republic:   a  Sermon,  May,  1848. 

New  York.     8° 
1849. 


Address  to  the  Members  of  the  Boston  and 

Trading  Company,  January  7,  1849 
Anna  the  Prophetess 
Christianity  and  Arts 
Church  and  State  . 
Church  and  the  World  . 
Harvard  College 
Imputation 

Music  Teachers'  Institute 
Mysteries  of  the  Bible    . 
Nourse's  Past 
Spiritual  Strength  . 


California  Mining  and 
N. 

.  (In  Christian  Observatory.) 
.  (In  Christian  Observatory.') 
.  (In  Christian  Observatory.) 
.  (In  Christian  Observatory.) 
.  (In  Christian  Observatory.) 
.  (In  Christian  Observatory.) 
.  (In  Christian  Observatory.) 
.  (In  Christian  Observatory.) 
.  (In  Christian  Observatory.) 


1850. 

Discourse  occasioned  by  the  Trial  and  Execution  of  J.  W.  Web- 
ster   Boston.     8° 

Robbing  God  ;  a  Fast  Day  Sermon.        .         .  (In  Amer.  Nat.  Preacher.) 


428  APPENDIX. 

1851. 

The  Church  and  the  College:  an  Address       .         .        .  Boston.     8° 

Church  Choirs * 

Sermon.     The  Danger  and  Evil  of  departing  from  God. 

(In  Amer.  Nat.  Preacher,  November,  1851.) 
Temperance * 

1852. 

Sermon  on  the  New  Liquor  Law,  July,  1852  (In  Christian  Observatory.') 
Great  Men  are   God's   Gift:  a  Discourse  on  the   Death  of  Daniel 

Webster Boston.     8° 

Laura  Bridgman     ......  (In  Christian  Observatory?) 

Speech  at  the  28th   Anniversary  of  the  Amer.  S.  Sfc  Union,  May 

27,  1852 Boston.     12° 

1853. 

Address  to  the  Mothers  in  Mount  Vernon  Church          .         Boston.  12° 

Effectual  Prayer Boston.  32° 

Installation,  Noyes          .........  * 

Pilgrim  engraved    ..........  * 

The  Consecrated  Child:  a  Sermon  Occasioned  by  the  Death  of  J. 

F.  Warren,  February  13,  1853 Boston.  8° 

1854. 

Congregationalism '  * 

Europe    .         .         .  (Article  in  Cyclopedia  of  Missions.)     New  York.  8° 

Prayer  for  Rulers  :  a  Sermon  in  Boston,  February  12,  1854  .         .  N. 

Religious  Liberty * 

Sabbath * 

The  Love  of  Pleasure:  a  Discourse  on  the  Opening  of  a  New  Thea- 
tre, September  10,  1854       ......           Boston.  8° 

1855. 
Introduction  to  "  Daily  Monitor,"  by  Rev.  John  Allen  .         Boston.     32° 
Justification   by  Grace  through   Faith  :  a   Discourse   in    Boston, 

February  10,  1855 Madison,  Ind.     8° 

"Louis  Fourteenth,  and  the  Writers  of  his  Age,"  by  Rev.  J.  F. 

Astie.     Translated,  with  Introduction,  by  E.  N.  K.    .         Boston.     12° 

1856. 
God  delights  in   Faithful   Preaching.     Sermon  at  the   Settlement 

of  W.  C.  Whitcomb,  January  3,  1856,  in  Southbridge  Boston.     8° 

Address  at  Installation  of  Rev.  T.  S.  Ellerby,  Toronto,  October  1, 

1856 N. 


APPENDIX.  429 

Discourse  at  the  13th  Anniversary  of  the  Society  for  the  Promo- 
tion of  Collegiate  and  Theological  Education  at  the  West,  No- 
vember 11,  1856 Boston.     8° 

Address  to  Church 

Lectures  on  Christ's  Parables  ....... 

On  Duty  in  Perilous  Times  :  a  Sermon,  June  1,  1856   .         .  Boston.     8° 
The  Fear  of  Death  ....     (In  Watchman  and  Reflector.) 

Employments  of  Heaven         ........ 

God's  Love  to  Man * 

Glory  of  Christ * 

Atonement  Complete       ......... 

Miracles 

Christ  a  Preacher  .......... 

Our  Sanctification  ......••• 

Parental  Solicitude         ......••• 

Children  Praising  Jesus  ........ 

Fasting * 

Paul  Reviewing  Life 

Glory  in  Reserve    .......... 

1857. 

Public  Worship  a  Universal  Duty  :  a  Discourse  in  Paris,  Septem- 
ber 6,  1857 Paris.     8° 

Sermons Boston.     12° 

1858. 
Life,  a  Vapor 

1859. 

Introduction  to  About's  "  The  Roman  Question  "  .         .  Boston.     8° 

Paul,  the  Apostle  :  a  Sermon  before  the  B.  Y.  M.  C.  A.       Boston.     12° 

1860. 

Discourses,  Doctrinal  and  Practical        .....  Boston.     8° 
The  Evening  and  the  Morning;  or,  Evil  followed  by  Good    Boston.     16° 
Sermon  before  the  American  and  Foreign  Christian  Union,  Bos- 
ton, May  29,  1860        .         .    (In  National  Preacher,  November,  1860.) 
Sermon  at  the  Ordination  of  Rev.  W.  L.  Gaylord,  September  14, 

I860 Keene.     8° 

God's  Glory  Hidden  ;  a  Thanksgiving  Sermon  in  Mount  Vernon 
Church,  November  29,  1860. 

(In  Daily  Atlas  and  Bee,  December  15,  I860.) 
Forsaking  all  for  Christ * 


430 


APPENDIX. 


Protestantism  and  Romanism 

The  Church 

Charity  .... 


1861. 

Review  of   Discourse   in   New  Orleans,  November  29,  1860,  by 
Rev.   B.   M.  Palmer,  D.  D.     (On  Slavery,  etc.) 

(Prepared  expressly  for  Daily  Atlas  and  Bee,  January  12,  1861.) 

Crossbearer.     (Edited  by  E.  N.  K.)       ....        Boston.     12° 

Address  to  Soldiers  at  Camp  Cameron,  June  26,  1861  N. 

Sermon  at   the  Dedication  of   the  North  Church,  Newburyport, 

October  23,  1861 N. 

Singing  of  Judgment  and  Mercy.     Sermon  of  Thanksgiving,  No- 
vember 21,  1861 N. 

Childhood  of  Jesus         .........  * 

Worship N. 

1862. 


12c 


* 
N. 


Canon  of  the  Holy  Scriptures,  by  Gaussen.  Translated  and 
abridged,  by  E.  N.  K.       .         .         .         .         .         .         Boston. 

Circular  of  the  Christian  Women  of  Boston  to  their  Sisters  scat- 
tered throughout  the  United  States,  September  8,  1862.  (Pre- 
pared by  E.  N.  K.)     . 

Miss  Lyon  and  Mt.  Holyoke  Seminary 

Victory  ascribed  to  God.      Sermon.     April  13,  1862      .         .         . 

1863. 

Address  at  the  Annual  Meeting  of  the  Educational  Commission 

for  Freedmen,  May  28,  1863 Boston.     8° 

Address  to  the  Convention  of  Sabbath  School  Teachers,  Pitts- 
field,  June  24,  1863 Boston.     8° 

Africo- Americans (In  Recorder.) 

Church  and  Army (In  Recorder.) 

The  Church  and  the  Rebellion (In  Recorder.) 

God  and  Magog (In  Recorder.) 

The  Army  Disbanded   . (In  Recorder.) 

Dr.  Beocher  and  Henry  Scudder . 

Introduction  to  "  Gasparin  on  Happiness  "   .         .         .  Boston.     16° 

Introduction  to  "  The  Hidden  Church  "       .....  * 

The  American  Tract  Society,  Boston. 

(In  North  American  Review,  July,  1863.) 
Wives  and  Husbands.     A  Sermon  ......         8° 

Conversion  of  Children * 

The  Curse  Averted * 


APPENDIX.  431 


1864. 
Christian   Sympathy  awakened;  or,  the   Hearts  of  the   Fathers 

Turned  to  the  Children Boston.  32° 

Address  at  the  Fiftieth  Anniversary  of  American  Tract  Society, 

May  26,  1864,  at  Boston (In  Tract  Journal.) 

Communication  at  Graduation  of  Female  Medical  College,  March 

2,  1864 N. 

1865. 
Assassination  of  President  Lincoln         .         .         .         .         .         .16° 

Behold  the  Lamb  of  God Boston.  24° 

Christian  Missions;  a  Work  of  Faith.     (Annual  Sermon  before 

the  A.  B.  C.  F.  M.) Boston.     8° 

Fasting  unto  the  Lord.     Sermon  at  Mount  Vernon  Church,  April 

13,  1865)             .         .         .        (7n  Daily  Evening  Traveller,  April  15.) 

Godless  Constitution       ..........  * 

God's  Covenant  with  Mothers * 

Mustered  Out * 

Self-culture * 

Tract  Literature      ..........  * 

The  Waiting  Saviour Boston.  32° 

God  testing  Character     .........  N. 

Walking  by  Faith * 

Only  one  Human  Race  .........  * 

1866. 
Address  at  Eighth   Anniversary  of  Mount  Vernon  Association  at 

Mount  Vernon  Church,  February  22,  1866.     (On  Washington)  N. 

Hints  to  Reapers     ........         Boston.  24° 

History  of  America        .........  N. 

Power  of  Prayer     ..........  * 

Revivals * 

Salt  without  Savor  ;   or,  The  Backslider         .         .         .         Boston.  24° 

1867. 

A  Particular  Providence         ........  * 

The  Cretan  Insurrection          ........  * 

The  Church * 

Mount  Vernon  Church            ........  * 

1868. 

Educated  Labor New  York.  8° 

The  Africo- American  Race N. 

Temperance * 


430 


APPENDIX. 


Protestantism  and  Romanism 

The  Church 

Charity  .... 


1861. 

Review  of  Discourse  in  New  Orleans,  November  29,  1860,  by 
Rev.   B.   M.   Palmer,  D.  D.     (On  Slavery,  etc.) 

{Prepared  expressly  for  Daily  Atlas  and  Bee,  January  12,  1861.) 

Crossbearer.     (Edited  by  E.  N.  K.)       ....         Boston.     1 2° 

Address  to  Soldiers  at  Camp  Cameron,  June  26,  1861   .         .         .        N. 

Sermon  at   the  Dedication  of   the  North  Church,  Newburyport, 

October  23,  1861 ■".    ,     .        N. 

Singing  of  Judgment  and  Mercy.  Sermon  of  Thanksgiving,  No- 
vember 21,  1861 N. 

Childhood  of  Jesus * 

Worship N. 

1862. 

Canon  of  the  Holy  Scriptures,  by  Gaussen.  Translated  and 
abridged,  by  E.  N.  K.       .         .  .         .         .         .         Boston. 

Circular  of  the  Christian  Women  of  Boston  to  their  Sisters  scat- 
tered throughout  the  United  States,  September  8,  1862.  (Pre- 
pared by  E.  N.  K.)     . 

Miss  Lyon  and  Mt.  Holyoke  Seminary 

Victory  ascribed  to  God.      Sermon.     April  13,  1862      .         . 

1863. 

Address  at  the  Annual  Meeting  of  the  Educational  Commission 

for  Freedtnen,  May  28,  1863 Boston. 

Address  to  the  Convention  of  Sabbath  School  Teachers,  Pitts- 
field,  June  24,  1863 Boston.     8° 

Africo-Americans  .......      {In  Recorder.} 

Church  and  Army         .......      {In  Recorder.') 

The  Church  and  the  Rebellion      .....      {In  Recorder.) 

God  and  Magog    ........      {In  Recorder.) 

The  Army  Disbanded   .         .         .         .         .         .         .      {In  Recorder.) 

Dr.  Beecher  and  Henry  Scudder   .......  * 

Introduction  to  "  Gasparin  on  Happiness  "   .         .         .  Boston.     16° 

Introduction  to  "  The  Hidden  Church  "       .....  * 

The  American  Tract  Society,  Boston. 

{In  North  American  Review,  July,  1863.) 
Wives  and  Husbands.     A  Sermon  ......         8° 

Conversion  of  Children  ........  * 

The  Curse  Averted       .  * 


12° 


* 
N. 


8° 


APPENDIX.  431 


1864. 
Christian   Sympathy  awakened;  or,  the   Hearts  of  the  Fathers 

Turned  to  the  Children Boston.  32° 

Address  at  the  Fiftieth  Anniversary  of  American  Tract  Society, 

May  26,  1864,  at  Boston (In  Tract  Journal.) 

Communication  at  Graduation  of  Female  Medical  College,  March 

2,  1864 ..  N. 

1865. 

Assassination  of  President  Lincoln 16° 

Behold  the  Lamb  of  God Boston.  24° 

Christian  Missions;  a  Work  of  Faith.     (Annual  Sermon  before 

the  A.  B.  C.  F.  M.) Boston.  8° 

Fasting  unto  the  Lord.     Sermon  at  Mount  Vernon  Church,  April 

13,  1865)             .         .         .        (In  Daily  Evening  Traveller,  April  15.) 

Godless  Constitution       ..........  * 

God's  Covenant  with  Mothers         .......  * 

Mustered  Out * 

Self-culture    ............  * 

Tract  Literature      ..........  * 

The  Wailing  Saviour Boston.  32° 

God  testing  Character Jf. 

Walking  by  Faith * 

Only  one  Human  Race * 

1866. 
Address  at  Eighth  Anniversary  of  Mount  Vernon  Association  at 

Mount  Vernon  Church,  February  22,  1866.     (On  Washington)  N. 

Hints  to  Reapers Boston.  24° 

History  of  America        .........  N. 

Power  of  Prayer * 

Revivals          ...........  * 

Salt  without  Savor  ;   or,  The  Backslider         .         .         .         Boston.  24° 

1867. 

A  Particular  Providence         ........  * 

The  Cretan  Insurrection          ........  * 

The  Church * 

Mount  Vernon  Church            ........  * 

1868. 

Educated  Labor New  York.  8° 

The  Africo- American  Race N. 

Temperance * 


432  APPENDIX. 

The  Tongue .'                 Boston.  24° 

Unbelief N. 

1869. 

Heaven           * 

1874. 

Lectures  on  Revivals.     Edited  by  Eev.  D.  O.  Mears     .        Boston.  12° 

DATE    NOT   KNOWN. 

Address  at  Dorchester  Village,  on  The  True  Design  of  a  Church  8° 

Address  before  the  Mass.  S.  S.  Society * 

Address   at   Philadelphia   on    the   Organization   of   the    Ladies' 

Christian    Commission         ........  16° 

Addresses  to  promote  the  revival  of  religion  ;  delivered  in  Surrey 

Chapel,  London 16° 

The  Army N. 

Breakfast  in  Montreal * 

Contributions  to  Congress        ........  * 

Discourse  in  Roxbury      .........  N. 

Growth  of  the  Holy  Child.     A  Sermon 8° 

Introduction  to  "  Child  and  Man  " -      .  * 

Introduction  to  "  The  Crucible" * 

Introduction  to  Question  Book       .......  * 

Ladies'  Christian  Association         .......  * 

The  Lamb  that  was  Slain       ......         Boston.  24° 

Letter  about  Gough         .........  * 

National  Repentance       .........  N. 

Observance  of  the  Sabbath N. 

The  Perversion  of  Music         ........  N. 

Remarks  at  the  Funeral  of  J.  H.  Lane  ......  8° 

Results  of  the  Temperance  Reformation         .....  8° 

Response  to  Ministers  of  the  Gospel  in  England.     By  Kirk  and 

others           ...........  N. 

Sermon  on  the  Nebraska  Question  and  in  Defense  of  the  Clergy  .  N. 

Some  of  the  Results  of  the  Great  Rebellion N. 

Three  Sermons.      Contents  :    Nature   and  influence  of   maternal 

associations  ;  Children  urged  to  hearken  to  instruction   and  to 

fear  the  Lord  ;  Practical  love  to  Christ 12° 

Views  of  Church  Music          ........  N. 


.  ^,? 


"■    ■ 
f 


d 


